Learning Percy Jackson's story
by Bencummigs
Summary: This is a story where Jason, Piper, and Leo learn who Percy Jackson is from his friends. This covers Percy's adventures leading up to the HoO series.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Disiclamer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the readers.

**Jason's POV**

Okay so after my quest to save Hera, or Juno, whatever she is called, I decided to learn a few things about Camp Half-Blood. First, I wanted to know about the missing camper, Percy Jackson. Everyone I ask says that he was awesome and did all these heroics. Some people say he was a troublemaker and an idiot. So I decided to go to the source for information, Annabeth, his girlfriend.

See Annabeth must know the absolute most when it comes to Percy because they date, but I want to hear from different people, so Piper, Leo, and I are meeting some of Percy's closest friends to talk about him. Those friends incclude: Annabeth, Grover (a saytr), Thalia, Nico, and Tyson (a cyclops and Percy's half-brother).

"Glad you all agreed to do this for us," Piper said.

"No problem, we figured you'd want to know more 'bout Percy eventually," Annabeth replied.

"So let's start from the beginning," Grover said. "Percy and I went to a boarding school called Yancy Academy, and that is where he killed his first monster."

"What monster?" I questioned.

"Hold on I'll get there," he replied. "He was twelve and in sixth grade at the time and Chiron was teaching Latin there to keep an eye on him. He didn't know he was a half-blood at the time. Anyways, we went on a trip to a museum talking about Greek heroes and gods, when the second teacher, Ms. Dodds, took Percy to a private exhibit to 'discipline' him. Little did we know that she was really a Fury in disguise. Percy cut her in half with a sword Chiron gave him," he finished.

"So Percy killed a Fury, one of Hades's servants, when he was twelve?" Piper asked.

"Yes, but he did even more on his way to camp," Grover said.

"What'd he do?" asked Leo.

"Well, on the way to camp, the Minotaur, was coming after us, and took his mother hostage. Filled with rage he fought the Minotaur, without a sword , and killed it. He has the horn inside his cabin, kind of a spoil of war,"Grover explained.

"Whoa so he killed a Fury and the Minotaur before he even knew he was a half-blood," I said. That's pretty freaking heroic.

"That's not even the craziest part," Annabeth said. "Percy, Grover, and I later went on a quest to return Zeus's master lightning bolt."

"Wait, Zeus's bolt? Like a legitimate lightning bolt or?" Leo asked.

"Zeus's symbol of power, strong enough to wipe out cites. Makes nuclear weaopons look like water balloons," Annabeth said.

"And it was stolen?"

"Yes, and Zeus thought it was Percy, but we learned who it really was later."

"Who?" Piper asked.

"Later in the story," Annabeth said. "Anyways on our quest, we went to visit Hades in the underworld thinking he had the bolt. Turned out he didn't and demanded Percy return his helm that he thought Percy stole. He didn't. But we knew who did. Ares, god of war, was waiting for us when we got back to the mortal world, he had the helm and tricked Percy into having the master bolt. Percy then fought Ares for the helm and the bolt, Percy won but barely. The furies were waiting for us and took the helm back to Hades, who returned Percy's mother to him-"

"Why did Hades have his mother?" Piper asked.

"He took her hostage in order to manipulate Percy into returning the helm," Annabeth explained. "Percy then returned Zeus's bolt to Zeus, who re-payed him by not blasting him."

"So he fought 2 dangerous monsters, the war god, Hades, and returned Zeus's bolt in time," I said somewhat in awe. This guy did more than most demigods do in a lifetime, in one year.

"Yep, we later found out that one of our campers was behind the whole thing. Luke, son of Hermes, was being manipulated by Kronos and stole the bolt and Hades's helm.

"Wow," Piper, Leo, and I said.

"That's quite the adventure," I say.

"That's just the beginning," Thalia said. "Nico and I know some more stuff that happens later in his story."

"But that is for later," Annabeth said. "Next we're gonna talk about his adventure in the Sea of Monsters."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disiclamer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the readers.

**Rachel's POV** (This is occuring as Jason and the gang are told the second story)

I was just sitting in my cave readying a book when I got a visitor. My "master" as he likes to call himself, Apollo, came in with something in his hands. He looked like a regular Californian teenager, 17 maybe, and he had on sunglasses. "What's up, Apollo?" I asked.

"Got something for 'ya," he says showing what he is holding. It's a small stack of books, but I had never seen them.

He showed me the title of the top one and my jaw dropped. It was called _Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse_. "Wait are these about Percy?" I questioned.

"Yep gift from the Fates, they wanted me to give these to you so that you could give them to those new campers," he says.

"You mean Jason, Piper, and Leo?"

"Yep those are the ones. I heard they were curious about Percy's past here at camp."

"And you want me to give these to them?"

"Yes now I must be going, got important godly stuff to do and what not," he says as he disappears in a flash of light.

As I look at the books I realize something about them. They are all told from Percy's point of view. All his thoughts are in these books. And there were three of them: _The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, _and _ The Last Olympian_. This must talk about the years leading up to the war and the actual war, I think to myself. Better get these to Jason and them, maybe they'll let me join them as they read the books. With that I leave my cave and start looking for Jason, Piper, and Leo.

**Jason's POV**

So Percy Jackson defeated the Minotaur, a Fury, Ares, stood up to Hades and Zeus,all before he became a teenager? Dang this guy meant business.

"So," Annabeth starts snapping me out of my thoughts. "In his second adventure, Percy starts by fighting some laestrygonians, or cannibals. He and Tyson played dodge ball with them at their school-"  
>"Why was he playing dodge ball with cannibals?" Piper asked.<p>

"They attacked us in gym and we had to fight," Tyson said.

"As I was saying, they fled the school, which was burning, and Percy was once again wanted for questioning. We had to take the Gray Sister's taxi to camp, where a battle against bronze bulls was happening. Percy, being stupid and heroic, jumped in to help and almost burned to a crisp," Annabeth said before Leo interrupted.

"Looks like I have a power that the all-powerful Percy Jackson doesn't have!" he exclaimed puffing out his chest to look heroic.

"Yeah, but Percy can summon hurricanes and cause earthquakes," Grover said. At that comment Leo looked disappointed.

"Dang it," he pouted.

"Back to the story, Camp was a disaster. The magical barrier was fading because someone poisoned Thalia's tree," Annabeth said as Thalia looked down. I could tell she didn't like to be reminded of that time. "Another addition to the chaos was Chiron getting _fired_."

"What?!" Piper, Leo, and I exclaimed.

"How could the gods fire Chiron, I mean he has trained heroes for years," I said.

"Zeus needed someone to take responsibility, so Chiron took it," Annabeth said. "He was replace by a guy named Tantalus. Who in turn wanted nothing to do with camp."

"I've heard of him, wasn't he the one who was stuck in a pool of water under a fruit tree, but couldn't eat or drink?" Piper questioned.

"Yep same guy, they later decided on a quest to get the Golden Fleece. We later found the exact location to be Polyphemus' island," Annabeth explained.

"Which is where I was at this time," Grover chimed in. _Why was Grover there? _I thought. "I was there because the Fleece radiated so much nature magic it smelled like the god Pan."

"Did you just-"

"Read your mind? No, your emotions? Yes," he explained. That relieved me.

"Okay then continue," I say to Annabeth.

"A quest was called and Clarisse was chosen to lead it-"

"'Course I was!" A voice shouts from behind. Clarisse was walking down the beach with who I assume was her boyfriend. "What are you talking about?"

"The quest in the Sea of Monsters," Annabeth said.

"Oh, forget I said anything,"Clarisse replied.

"Why?" I asked.

"You'll see."

"So Percy met us at the beach the night after Tantalus chose the quest, and we boarded a nearby ship called the _Princess Andromeda. _On board, Luke was training and recruiting people for the Titan's army-" Annabeth continued.

"Didn't help him much," Thalia mumbled almost to herself.

"- and Percy, Tyson, and I were caught, but we escaped in a lifeboat. Later we got to a beach off the coast of Virginia, where Percy, Tyson, and I fought a hydra,"

"This is where I come in!" Clarisse exclaimed pumping her fist into the air.

"After Clarisse helped us kill it, we boarded her zombie cruise ship-"

"Why did you have a zombie cruise ship?" Leo asked.

"Gift from dad, dead soldiers owe Ares a price for losing and those zombies payed him back by helping me," Clarisse explained.

"After that, we arrived at the entrance of the Sea of Monsters and battled the guardians. The ship then exploded and we all got separated. Clarisse was alone, so was Tyson. I was with Percy in a lifeboat. After some time, we ended up on Circe's island, which was like a spa resort. Percy got turned into a guinea pig-"

"Excuse me?" Piper laughed, "A guinea pig?"

That got a laugh out of the rest of us. "Why didn't you tell me before?" Thalia asked.

Annabeth shrugged, "Didn't seem important to mention. Now was I was saying, we fought pirates to escape the island, Percy was normal at that time-"  
>"Well as normal as Percy gets," Nico said.<p>

"-We then took Blackbeard's ship and sailed to Polyphemus's island. Clarisse was already there, but had been captured-"

"Here we go again," Clarisse mumbled.

"Grover was pretending to be a female cyclops, but Clarisse told Polyphemus the truth. He decided to eat Grover and instead marry Clarisse. That's when Percy and I sprung our plan and tricked Polyphemus by pretending to be Nobody."

"Just like Odysseus," I said.

Annabeth nodded, "Later we had to battle him and Tyson came to the rescue. Tyson and Percy fought Polyphemus and won, but our escape was destroyed in the fight, so be hitched a ride on some hippocampus. We arrived in Miami, and sent Clarisse on ahead with the Fleece, as it was he last day. But our adventure wasn't done yet. Luke was waiting for us with this monsters and Percy challenged him to a fight. Just then Chiron and the Party Ponies came in and saved the day. They then escorted us back to camp where the borders were restored,"

"Wow that's one crazy adventure. So Clarisse got it back in time?" I asked..

"Of course I did, camp's safety was on the line, couldn't fail." She said with pride.

"This brings Thalia into the picture," Annabeth said. "The Fleece was a ploy to add another person into the equation. Kronos sent us after the Fleece intending to bring Thalia back, thinking he could manipulate her."

"He didn't," Thalia said.

"And that's the end of Percy Jackson's second adventure," Annabeth said.

"Guys!" A voice shouted at us. "There you all are, I've been looking for you." Rachel Dare, the oracle, said.

"What's up Rachel?" questioned Annabeth and Thalia.

"Got a present from Apollo, says this will help Jason, Piper, and Leo with knowledge about Percy."

"What is it?" Piper and Leo ask.

"Some books about Percy's adventures. I have 3 of them. _The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian_."

"And Apollo gave them to you?"Annabeth asked.

"Yep maybe we can read them together,"Rachel replied.

"Yeah but let's do it tomorrow. It's getting late, so we better head back to our cabins,"Annabeth said.

As we dispersed, I couldn't help thinking how powerful Percy Jackson must be. When he was twelve he battle some of the worst monsters and the god of war. He beat the god. And defeated the most dangerous cyclops. This guy definitely can make it with the Romans.

I lay in bed thinking how many more adventures this guy had gone on. And I couldn't help but compare myself to him. I never battled a god, a Titan, but not a god. I never fought the most dangerous monsters, but I trained with the legion. Guess I'll have to wait and see what else Percy Jackson has in-store.


	3. The Titan's Curse Ch1

Chapter 3: _The Titan's Curse_

Disiclamer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the reader

**Jason's POV**

We gathered at the beach the next day. Rachel had brought the first book, _The Titan's Curse_ with her. "Who wants to read first?" she asked.

"I'll go," Annabeth said, "Chapter One: **My Rescue Operation Goes Very Wrong**."

"This sounds good already," Thalia joked

**The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school. We picked up my friends Annabeth and Thalia on the way.**

**"**You two were there?" I asked.

"Yes we were there to pick up Nico and his sister," Thalia explained.

"This was before we knew who we were," Nico added.

**It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor Maine. Sleet and snow pounded the highway. Annabeth, Thalia, and I hadn't seen each other in months, but between the blizzard and the thought of what we were about to do, we were too nervous to talk much. Except my mom. She talks **_**more**_** when she's nervous. By the time we finally got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told Annabeth and Thalia every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about me.**

"Can I-" Leo said.

"No!" Annabeth said, "Now stop interrupting."

**Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh yeah. This'll be fun."**

**Westover Hall looked like an evil knight's castle. It was all black stone, with towers and slit shadows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff over-looking this big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.**

**"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" my mother asked.**

**"No, thanks, Mom," I said. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."**

**"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy."**

"His mom sounds nice," Piper said.

"She is," Thalia agreed.

"Can I continue? Or do you want to keep talking?" Annabeth asked.

"Continue, please," Rachel and I said.

**I hoped I wasn't blushing. It was bad enough I had to depend on my mom to drive me to my battles.**

**"It's okay, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. Her blonde hair was tucked into a ski cap and her gray eyes were the same color as the ocean.**

"It's cute that he noticed," Thalia joked.

"Shut up, Thalia," Annabeth said

**"We'll keep him out of trouble."**

**My mom seemed to relax a little. She thinks Annabeth is the mot levelheaded demigod ever to hit eigth grade. She's sure Annabeth often keeps me from getting killed. She's right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.**

Annabeth smirked at that comment.

**"All right, dears," my mom said. "Do you have everything you need?"**

**"Yes, Ms. Jackson," Thalia said. "Thanks for the ride."**

**"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"**

Once a mother always a mother. I could tell Leo was trying really hard not to make a joke, he was trying so hard his nose breathed a little fire.

**"Mom-"**

**"Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy?" And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"**

**"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys."**

"That wasn't very nice of him to say," Piper said.

"We know, he was just embarrassed," Thalia replied.

**She looked a little hurt, wand I was sorry about that, but I was ready to be out of that car. If my mom told one more story about how cute I looked in the bathtub when I was three years old, I was going to burrow into the snow and freeze myself to death.**

"Wish his mom told one more story," Thalia joked.

"Don't say that! He is kind of missing in action right now." she reminded.

"Annabeth please continue," I asked. This wasn't the stuff I wanted to hear, but I figure that something heroic will be happening soon.

**Annabeth and Thalia followed me outside. The wind blew straight through my coat like ice daggers.**

**Once my mother's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is cool, Percy."**

**"She's pretty okay," I admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"**

**As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn't. Thallia was great at giving evil looks, what with the punk clothes she always wears- the ripped-up army jacket, black leather pants and chain jewlery-**

"Punk clothes?" Piper and Leo questioned.

"I wasn't always a Hunter, dressing in silver," Thalia explained.

"So this happened before you joined the hunters," Piper reasoned.

**-, the black eyeliner and those intense blue eyes. But the look she gave me now was a perfect evil "ten".**

"Why thank you Percy," Thalia smirked.

**"If that was any of your business, Percy-"**

**"We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting."**

**Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found that made him send the distress call."**

**I stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," I guessed.**

"Dang, Percy is really optimistic," Leo joked.

"Just think bout that when you learn what happens next," Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia said. Nico just nodded sadly.

**The oak doors groaned open, and the three of us stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.**

**All I could say was, "Whoa."**

**The place was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff. I mean, I knew Westover Hall was a military school and all, but the decorations seemed like overkill. Literally.**

"Wow, Seaweed Brain, you should become a comedian," Annabeth joked. That got a laugh out of all of us.

"I could do some stand-up comedy with him," Leo joked.

"Let's get on with the chapter," I said anxious to find out what goes wrong.

**My hand went to my pocket, where I kept my ballpoint pen, Riptide.**

"Why does he have a ballpoint pen?" I asked.

"It turns into a sword when he uncaps it," Grover explained.

**I could already sense something wrong in this place. Something dangerous. Thalia was rubbing her silver bracelet, her favorite magic item. I knew we were thinking the same thing. A fight was coming.**

"Dang everyone gets a magic item but me," Leo pouted.

"Um, Leo, you have a magic tool belt that can give you items," Piper reminded him.

"Oh yeah, thanks Pipes."

"Hey that's my nickname for her, get your own," I joked. Leo held his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Anyways continue please."

**Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where-"**

**The doors slammed shut behind us.**

**"Oo-kay," I mumbled. "Guess we'll stay awhile."**

**I could hear music echoing from the other end of the hall. It sounded like dance music.**

**We stashed our overnight bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. We hadn't gone very far when I heard footsteps on the stone floor, and a man and woman marched out of the shadows to intercept us.**

"This can't be good," I mumble.

**They both had short gray hair and black military-style uniforms with red trim. The woman had a wispy mustache and the guy was clean shaven, which seemed a little backwards to me. They both walked stiffly, like they had broomsticks taped to their spines.**

"Only you Percy," Annabeth sighed.

"**Well?" the woman demanded. "What are you dong here?"**

**"Um..." I realized I hadn't planned for this. I'd been so focused on getting to Grover and finding out what was wrong, I hadn't considered that someone might question three kids sneaking into the school at night.**

"Really?" Everyone said at once.

**We hadn't talked at all in the car about how we would get inside. I said, "Ma'am, we're just-"**

**"Ha!" the man snapped, which made he jump. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be **_**eee-jected**_**!"**

**He had an accent- French maybe. He pronounced his **_**J **_**like in **_**Jacques**_**. He was tall, with a hawkish face. His nose flared when he spoke, which made it really hard not to stare up his nose, and his eyes were two different colors—one brown, one blue- like an alley cat's.**

"Is he the monster?" I ask.

"You'll see," replies Annabeth.

**I figured he was about to toss us into the snow, but then Thalia stepped forward and did something very weird.**

**She snapped her fingers. The sound was sharp and loud. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt a gust of wind ripple out from her hand, across the room. It washed over all of us, making the banners rustle on the walls.**

"What?" Piper, Leo, and I questioned.

"You'll find out later, very soon actually," Thalia said matter of fact.

**"Oh, but we're bit visitors, sir," Thalia said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Thalia. And this is Annabeth and Percy. We're in the eighth grade."**

**The male teacher narrowed his two-colored eyes. I didn't know what Thalia was thinking. Now we'd probably get punished for lying **_**and**_** thrown into the snow.**

"Glad he had so much faith in me," Thalia mumbled.

**But the man seemed to be hesitating.**

**He looked to his colleague. "Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?"**

**Despite the danger we were in, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. A teacher named **_**Got Chalk**_**? He had to be kidding.**

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth sighed. "Only you would do that."

**The woman blinked , like someone had just woken her up from a trance. "I... yes. I believe I do sir." She frowned at us. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"**

"Wait, you convinced her just by snapping your fingers?" a confused Leo asked.

"Just wait, I'm sure it'll some up," Piper and Thalia assured him.

**Before we could answer, I heard more footsteps, and Grover ran up breathless. "You made it! You-"**

**He stopped when he saw the teachers. "Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh-"**

**"What **_**is **_**it. Mr. Underwood?" said the man. His tone made it clear that he detested Grover. "What do you mean, they made it? These students live here."**

**Grover swallowed. "Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant, I'm so glad they made... the punch for the dance. The punch is great. And they made it!"**

Everyone burst out laughing. "Really, Grover? That was the best you could come up with?" Leo said in between laughs. Grover blushed.

**Dr. Thorn glared at us. I decided one of his eyes had to be fake. The brown one? The blue one? He looked like he wanted to pitch us odd the castle's highest tower, but then Mrs. Gottschalk said dreamily, "Yes, the punch is excellent.. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!"**

**We didn't wait to be told twice. We left with a lot of "Yes, ma'ams" and Yes, sirs" and a couple of salutes, just because it seemed like the thing to do.**

**Grover hustled us down the hall in the direction of the music.**

**I could feel the teachers' eyes on my back, but I walked closely to Thalia and asked in a low voice, "How did you do the finger-snap thing?"**

**"You mean the Mist? Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet?**

"Wait you controlled the Mist? That's awesome!" I said in awe.

"It's not that big a deal," Thalia said.

**An uncomfortable lump formed in my throat. Chiron was our head trainer at camp, but he's never shown me anything like that. Why had he shown Thalia and not me?**

"A few reasons. One: I spent more time there. Two: I'm awesome!. Three: why are you jealous? You can breathe underwater and control it with your mind," Thalia said.

"He just thinks your powers are cooler, Thalia." Annabeth said. Thalia shrugged.

"I think it'd be cool to learn that," I said. "Can you show me sometime?"

"Sure thing," she replied.

**Grover hurried us to a door that had GYM written on the glass. Even with my dyslexia, I could read that much.**

**"That was close!" Grover said. "Thank the gods you got here!"**

**Annabeth and Thalia both hugged Grover. I gave him a big high five.**

**It was good to see him after so any months. He'd gotten a little taller and had sprouted a few more whiskers, but otherwise he looked like he always did when he passed for human- red cap on his curly brown hair to hide his goat horns, baggy jeans and sneakers with fake feet to hide his furry legs and hooves. He was wearing a black T-shirt that took me a few seconds to read. It said WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT. I wasn't sure if that was, like, Grover's rank or maybe just a school motto.**

"It was my rank," Grover said with a sigh.

**"So what's the emergency?" I asked.**

**Grover took a deep breath. "I found two."**

**"Two half-bloods?" Thalia asked, amazed. "Here?"**

**Grover nodded.**

**Finding one half-blood was rare enough. This year, Chiron had put all saytrs on emergency overtime and sent them all over the country, scouring schools from fourth grade through high school for possible recruits. These were desperate times. We were losing campers. We needed all the new fighters we could find. The problem was, there just weren't that many demigods out there.**

"Those were bad times," Thalia said. Annabeth and Grover nodded. I remember them saying that there used to not be as many people at camp. I didn't realize it got that bad.

**"A brother and sister," he said. "They're ten and twelve. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong. We're running out of time though. I need help."**

**"Monsters?"**

**"One." Grover looked nervous. "He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I'm sure he wont let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he;s always there, blocking me. I don't know what to do!**

**Grover looked at Thalia desperately. I tried not to feel upset by that. Used to be, Grover looked to me for answers, but Thalia had seniority.**

"Sorry Percy, that was just an initian reaction. Either of you could have done something good," Grover mumbled. Thalia patted him on he back, same as Annabeth.

"It's okay, Grover. Percy was just used to being asked about that kind of stuff." Annabeth said.

**Not just because her dad was Zeus. Thalia had more experience than any of us with fending off monsters in the real world.**

"Debatable, you fought just as many monsters," Thalia said.

"From what I've heard, he has fought a lot more powerful monsters," I added.

**"Right," she said. "These half-bloods at the dance?"**

**Grover nodded.**

**"Then let's dance," Thalia said. "Who's the monster?"**

**"Oh," Grover said, and looked around nervously. "You just met him. The Vice Principal, Dr. Thorn.**

"I knew it!" Leo exclaimed. "I knew that guy would be it. With those mismatched eyes and weird accent, I knew he would be a monster."

"All right we get it Leo, you knew the monster's identity. Now can we continue?" I asked, a little annoyed that it keeps getting interupted.

**Weird thing about military schools: the kids go abolutely nuts when there's a special event and they get to be out of uniform. I guess it's because everything is so strict the rest of the time, the feel like they've got to overcompensate or something.**

**There were black and red balloons all over the gym floor, and the guys were kicking them in each other's faces, or trying to strangle each other with the crepe-paper streamers teped to the walls. Girls moved around I football huddles, the way they always do, wearing ots of makeup and spaghetti-strap tops and brightly colored pants and shoes that looked like tourture devices.**

"Sounds like a great time," Leo joked.

**Every once in a while they'd surround some poor guy like a pack of piranhas, shreiking and giggling, and when they finally moved on, the guy would have ribbons in his hair and a bunch of lipstick grafitti all over his face. Some of the older guys looked more like me—uncomfortable, hanging out at the edges of the gym and trying to hide, like any minute they might have to fight for their lives. Of course, in my case, it was true...**

"True," I said. Being a half-blood means there is always a constant danger.

**"There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo."**

"Oh great..." Nico mumbled to himself. I raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't press him for answers.

**The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive sin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. The boy was shuffling some kind of traiding cards. His sister seemed to be scolding him abot something. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong.**

**Annabeth said, "Do they... I mean, have you told them?"**

**Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."**

"Why is that?" Leo asked.

"We don't know, but I can smell a difference between when they know and don't," Grover answered.

**He looked at me, and I nodded. I never really understood what half-bloods "smell" like to monsters and saytrs, but I knew your scent could get you killed. And the more powerful a demigod you became, the more you smelled like a monster's lunch.**

**"So let's grab them abd get out of here," I said.**

**I started forward, but Thalia put her hand on my shoulder. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn, had slipped out of a doorway near the bleachers and was standing near the di Angelo siblings. He nodded coldly in our direction. His blue eye seemed to glow.**

"Well, he's persistent," Piper said.

"He really didn't want to give up or fail," Thalia said. Nico was looking a little embarrassed, I mean he was ten in this story. He probably did some things that are embarrassing.

**Judging from his expression, I guessed Thron hadn't been fooled by Thalia's trick with the Mist after all. He suspected who we were. He was just waiting to see why we were here.**

**"Don't look at the kids," Thalia ordered. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."**

"But if he suspects your demigods, woudn't it not change a thing?" I questioned.

Thalia shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

**"How?"**

**"We're three powerful half-bloods. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids."**

**"Dancing?" Annabeth asked.**

**Thalia nodded. She cocked her ear to the music and made a face. "Ugh. Who chose the Jesse McCartney?"  
>Grover looked hurt. "I did."<strong>

**"Oh my gods, Grover. That is so lame. Can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"**

"Green Day? Who is that?" Leo asked.

"A band from the 90's," Annabeth answered.

**"Green who?"**

**"Never mind. Let's dance."**

**"But I can't dance!"**

**"You can if I'm leadind," Thalia said. "Come on, goat boy."**

**Grover yelped as Thalia grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor.**

**Annabeth smiled. **

**"What?" I asked. **

**"Nothing. It's just cool to have Thalia back."**

"That's an excuse so you wouldn't have to dance with him!" Thalia joked which made Annabeth blush.

**Annabeth had grown taller than me since last summer, which I foud kind of disturbing. She used to wear no jewlery except for her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace, but now she wore little silver earring shaped like owls-the symbol of her mother, Athena. She pulled off her ski cap and her long blonde hair tubled down her shoulders. It made her look older, for some reason.**

"Aww. He knew he liked you, even then," Thalia joked.

"Shut up," Annabeth said, blushing again.

**"So..." I tried to think of something to say. **_**Act natural**_**, Thalia had told us. When you're a half-blood on a dangerous mission, what the heck is natural? "Um, design any good buildings lately?"**

"Smooth Percy," Thalia said. We all had a good laugh at that.

**Annabeth's eyes lit up, the way they always did when she talked about architecture. "Oh my gods, Percy. At my new school, I get to take 3-D design as an elective, and there's this cool computer program..."**

**She went on to explain how she'd designed this huge monument that she wanted to build at Ground Zero in Manhattan. She talked about structural supports and facades and stuff, and I tried to listen. I knew she wanted to be a super architect when she grew up- she loves math and historical buildings and all that- but I hardly understood a word she was saying.**

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth sighed.

**The truth was I was kind of disappointed to hear that she liked her new school so much. It was the first time she'd gone to school in New York. I'd been hoping to see her more often. It was a boarding school in Brooklyn, and she and Thalia were both attending, close enough to Camp Half-Blood that Chiron could help if they got in any trouble. Because it was an all-girls school, and I was going to MS-54 in Manhattan, I harldy ever saw them.**

"Aww, he missed you," Piper said.

"Wish he told me that," Annabeth mumbled.

**"Yeah, uh, cool," I said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"**

**Her face got dark. "Well maybe, if I don't-"**

**"Hey!" Thalia called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all over himself, kicking Thalia in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die. At least his feet were fake. Unlike me he had an excuse for being clumsy.**

"Way to go, Grover. You have something Percy doesn't," Thalia joked. Leo cracked a smile at that.

**"Dance you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."**

**I looked nervously at Annabeth, then at the groups of girls roaming the gym.**

**"Well?" Annabeth said.**

**"Um, who should I ask?"**

"Wow, he's dense," Thalia said.

"No kidding, you literally just said to do that," Piper said.

**She punched me in the gut. "**_**Me**_**, Seaweed Brain."**

**"Oh. Oh, right."**

**So we went onto the dance floor, and I looked over to see how Thalia and Grover were doing things. I put one hand on Annabeth's hip, and she clasped my other hand like she was about to judo throw me.**

**"I'm not going to bite," she told me. "Honestly Percy. Don't you guys have dances at your school."**

"I don't think he likes dancing," Piper deduced.

**I didn't answer. Truth was we did. But I'd never, like, actually **_**danced **_**at one. I was usually one of the guys playing basketball in the corner.**

**We shuffled around for a few minutes. I tried to concentrate on little things, like the crepe-paper streamers and the punch bowl-anything but the fact that Annabeth was taller than me, and my hands were sweaty and probably gross, and I kept stepping on her toes.**

"Dang, Percy sure knows how to look on the bright side," Leo said.

**"What were you saying earlier?" I asked/ "Are you having trouble at school or something?"**

**She pursed her lips. "It's not that. It's my dad."**

**"Uh-oh." I knew Annabeth had a rocky relationship with her father. "I thought it was getting better with you two. Is it your stepmom again?"**

**Annabeth sighed. "He decided to move. Just when I was getting settled into New York, he took this stupid new job researching for a World War I book. In **_**San Fransisco**_**."**

**She said this the same way she might say **_**Fields of Punishment **_**or **_**Hades's gym shorts**_**.**

"Hades doesn't have gym shorts," Nico mumbled.

**"So he wants you to move out there with him?" I asked.**

**"To the other side of the country," she said misrably. "And half-blood can't live in San Fransisco. He should know that."**

**"What? Why not?"**

**Annabeth rolled her eyes. Maybe she thought I was kidding. "You know. It's right **_**there**_**." **

**"Oh," I said. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I didn't want to sound stupid. "So... you'll go back to living at camp or what?"**

**"It's more serious than that, Percy. I... I probably should tell you something."**

**Suddenly she froze. "They're gone."**

**"What?"**

"Finally some action!" Leo and I said. It was getting really boring, listening to all this story stuff.

**I followed her gaze. The bleachers. The two half-blood kids, Bianca and Nico, were no longer there. The door next to the bleachers was wide open. And Dr. Thron was nowhere in sight.**

**"We have to get Thalia and Grover!" Annabeth looked around frantically. "Oh, where'd they dance off to? Come on!"**

**She ran through the crowd. I was about to follow when a mob of girls got in my way. I**

**maneuvered around them to avoid getting the ribbon-and-lipstick treatment, and by the time I**

**was free, Annabeth had disappeared. I turned a full circle, looking for her or Thalia and**

**Grover. Instead, I saw something that chilled my blood.**

**About fifty feet away, lying on the gym floor, was a floppy green cap just like the one**

**Bianca di Angelo had been wearing. Near it were a few scattered trading cards. Then I caught**

**a glimpse of Dr. Thorn. He was hurrying out a door at the opposite end of the gym, steering**

**the di Angelo kids by the scruffs of their necks, like kittens.**

"That can't be good," Piper said.

"It isn't" Thalia and Nico said.

**I still couldn't see Annabeth, but I knew she'd be heading the other way, looking for**

**Thalia and Grover.**

**I almost ran after her, and then I thought, Wait. I remembered what Thalia had said to me in the entry hall, looking at me all puzzled when I asked about the finger-snap trick: Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet? I thought about the way Grover had turned to her, expecting her to save the day.**

**Not that I resented Thalia. She was cool. It wasn't her fault her dad was Zeus and she**

**got all the attention… Still, I didn't need to run after her to solve every problem. Besides,**

**there wasn't time. The di Angelos were in danger. They might be long gone by the time I**

**found my friends. I knew monsters. I could handle this myself**

**I took Riptide out of my pocket and ran after Dr. Thorn.**

"That was a mistake on both of our parts," Annabeth said. Thalia nodded.

**The door led into a dark hallway. I heard sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful**

**grunt. I uncapped Riptide.**

**The pen grew in my hands until I held a bronze Greek sword about three feet long with**

**a leather-bound grip.**

"Okay that is awesome," Leo said. I nodded. A pen that turned into a sword? It's just like my coin before it broke.

**The blade glowed faintly, casting a golden light on the rows of lockers.**

**I jogged down the corridor, but when I got to the other end, no one was there. I opened**

**a door and found myself back in the main entry hall. I was completely turned around. I didn't**

**see Dr. Thorn anywhere, but there on the opposite side of the room were the di Angelo kids.**

**They stood frozen in horror, staring right at me.**

**I advanced slowly, lowering the tip of my sword. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."**

**They didn't answer. Their eyes were full of fear. What was wrong with them? Where was Dr. Thorn? Maybe he'd sensed the presence of Riptide and retreated. Monsters hated**

**celestial bronze weapons.**

"I'm guessing he doesn't?"I ask.

**"My name's Percy," I said, trying to keep my voice level. "I'm going to take you out of**

**here, get you somewhere safe." **

**Bianca's eyes widened. Her fists clenched. Only too late did I realize what her look**

**meant. She wasn't afraid of me. She was trying to warn me.**

"She _was_ trying to warn him," Nico mumbled, clearly annoyed by his part in this story.

**I whirled around and something went WHI1ISH! Pain exploded in my shoulder. A force**

**like a huge hand yanked me backward and slammed me to the wall.**

**I slashed with my sword but there was nothing to hit.**

**A cold laugh echoed through the hall.**

"That can not be good," Piper said.

**"Yes, Perseus Jackson" Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the J in my last name. "I**

**know who you are."**

**I tried to free my shoulder. My coat and shirt were pinned to the wall by some kind of**

**spike—a black dagger-like projectile about a foot long. It had grazed the skin of my shoulder**

**as it passed through my clothes, and the cut burned. I'd felt something like this before. Poison.**

"Poison makes it hard to fight," Leo noted. The others nodded.

**I forced myself to concentrate. I would not pass out.**

**A dark silhouette now moved toward us. Dr. Thorn stepped into the dim light. He still**

**looked human, but his face was ghoulish. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes**

**reflected the light of my sword.**

**"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances."**

**I tried to swing my sword again, but he was just out of reach. WHIIIISH! A second projectile shot from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn. He didn't appear to move. It was as if someone invisible were standing behind him, throwing knives.**

"A tail?" I questioned.

**Next to me, Bianca yelped. The second thorn impaled itself in the stone wall, half an**

**inch from her face.**

**"All three of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you**

**make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately**

**I can throw." **

"And that's the end of chapter one," Annabeth said, closing the book. "Who wants to read next?"

Piper raised her hand, and Annabeth handed it to her.


	4. The Titan's Curse Ch2

Chapter 4: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the reader

**Jason's POV**

"Chapter two: **The Vice Principal Gets A Missile Launcher**," Piper began.

"Like an actual missile launcher or a monster/ Greek one?" Leo asked.

"You'll find out," Annabeth said.

**I didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast. **

** Maybe I could defend myself if I could get my shield activated. All that it would take was a touch of my wrist-watch. But defending the di Angelo kids was another matter. I needed help, and there was only one way I could think to get it. **

"So he gets a shield and a pen that turn into weapons?" Leo asked.

"Seems like it," I said.

** I closed my eyes.**

**"What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"**

** I opened my eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," I lied, trying to sound miserable, which wasn't hard. "It burns." **

"No duh, that's what poison does, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said rolling her eyes.

** "Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!" **

** Thorn herded us outside, and I tried to concentrate. I pictured Grover's face. I focused on my feelings of fear and danger. Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link between us. He'd sent me visions in my dreams to let me know when he was in trouble. As far as I knew, we were still linked, but I'd never tried to contact Grover before. I didn't even know if it would work while Grover was awake.**

** Hey, Grover! I thought. Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help!**

"I did hear him, but we needed to find him first," Grover said.

** Thorn inarched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. My shoulder ached. The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold that I felt like a Percysicle. **

"Second time he mentioned freezing himself," Leo joked.

** "There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride." **

** "What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?" **

** "Silence, you insufferable girl!" **

** "Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.**

"Nice job, Nico," I complimented.

He shrugged.

** Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. Meanwhile, I projected my thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends! **

"How come Percy always associates me with food?" Grover said.

"'Cuz you like food, goat boy," Thalia smirked.

** "Halt," Thorn said. The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. But all I could see was mist and darkness. **

** Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. I stumbled, and Bianca caught me. **

** "Thanks," I murmured. **

** "What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?" **

** "I… I'm working on it." **

** "I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind. **

"Okay so Nico goes from standing up for his sister to mumbling he is scared?" Thalia said.

"Hey! I didn't even know what was happening! I was 10!" he said defensively.

** "Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!" **

"Rude," I mumbled.

** We turned.**

** Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."**

** There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.**

"The monsters we faced seemed pretty up to date," Leo and Piper said.

I remembered the Earth-born using their construction equipment and Medea owning a department store.

** I glanced behind me, wondering how far the drop was. **

** Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump!There is the sea. Save yourself." **"Can he really do that?" I asked.

"Well he has jumped off a few things that I know of, like the St. Louis Arch," Annabeth said.

"Excuse me?" Piper said.

"Never mind," Annabeth replied.

** "What did he call you?" Bianca muttered. **

** "I'll explain later," I said.**

** "You do have a plan, right?"**

** Grover! I thought desperately. Come to me! **

"It sounds like he is trying to do a summoning, 'Grover Come to Me!'" Leo joked.

"Shut up, Valdez," Piper said smiling.

** Maybe I could get both the di Angelos to jump with me into the ocean. If we survived the fall, I could use the water to protect us. I'd done things like that before. If my dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe. **

"He was debating having us jump!" Nico exclaimed.

"Remember, Percy could protect you," Annabeth reminded him.

** "I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading my thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?" **

** A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to me that it nicked my ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible… almost like a tail.**

** "Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."**

"What is he?" Leo complained, sounding like a little kid.

"That comes up soon," Thalia said.

** "Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other." **

Piper paused for a moment before continuing. Nico sent her a silent 'thank you' with his eyes.

** "Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."**

** "Luke," I said. "You work for Luke."**

Annabeth's and Thalia's expressions darkened at that. Grover looked down.

** Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill me several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you." **

** "The General?" I asked. Then I realized I'd said it with a French accent. "I mean… who's the General?"**

Annabeth rolled her eyes at that. "Only you, Seaweed Brain."

** Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."**

** I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.**

** "Where are you taking us?" Nico said. **

** "You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls." **

"What game?" Leo asked.

"Later in the story," Nico said annoyingly.

** "They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—" **

** "Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well… there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway." **

** "The Great what?" I asked. Anything to keep him talking while I tried to figure out a plan. **

"He sounds like Annabeth, guess he did learn something from you," Thalia grinned.

Annabeth blushed. "I think that was more important to know."

** "The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!" "Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts." **

"So are most monsters..." I mumbled.

**"We have to jump off the cliff," I told her quietly. "Into the sea." **

** "Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."**

"That's true," Thalia said.

"But he isn't _that_ crazy, just dumb," Annabeth said.

We all laughed at that.

** I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me. Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. **

"Aww, thank you, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.

** Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the di Angelos and me, knocking us to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis. **

** If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part. Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it.**

"Darn right! Nobody stands up to my shield!" Thalia said.

** Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it. **

** Thalia moved in with her spear. "For Zeus!" **

** I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.**

"Never mind," Thalia said. The rest of us laughed a little.

** The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind me, but I didn't dare look. **

** Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia, and this time I could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpionlike tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down. **

"A manticore?" I asked.

"Jason! Why did you have to guess it _right_!" Thalia said.

"It was just a guess!" I protested. Jeez, there is no pleasing these people.

** Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him. **

"Nice, Grover," Leo said.

** Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions. **

** "A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us. **

** "Who are you people?" Bianca di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"**

"That is something bad," Leo said.

**"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"**

"Wow, Nico. Nerdy much?" Leo joked.

"Never forget I could make your life a living hell," he responded.

"Forget I said anything," Leo said.

We laughed.

** I didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl. **

** "Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, I remembered my own shield. I hit my wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from my brother, was badly damaged. I wasn't sure it would even stop a second volley. **

** I heard a thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to me with a thud. **

"Doesn't the monster realize that will never happen," I asked.

Thalia shrugged.

"It's not like we would just call truce or anything," Annabeth said.

** "Yield!" the monster roared. **

** "Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, I thought she would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.**

"Uh-oh," Leo and I said.

** "No!" I ran out to help her. I parried away a spike just before it would've hit her chest. I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. **

** Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes." **

** We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance.**

"Percy needs to be more optimistic," Thalia said.

Annabeth nodded.

** Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods. **

"The Hunters of Artemis?" I asked.

"Gods, Jason! Why do you always guess things!" Thalia yelled.

I put my hands up in a surrender gesture.

** The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades. **

** "No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—" **

** His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. **

** He staggered backward, wailing in agony.**

"Well that was easy," Leo's button that he constructed said.

We laughed for a little before Piper continued.

** "Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy. **

** The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. I tried to swipe at him with my sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged my attack and slammed his tail into my shield, knocking me aside.**

"Those spikes must be really fast," Leo whistled.

** Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, like me. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions. **

** "The Hunters!" Annabeth cried. **

** Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."**

"It sounds like Thalia hates them," I said.

"You have no idea..." Thalia mumbled.

"But-"

"LATER!" she yelled.

** I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant. **

** One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"**

Thalia, Grover, and Annabeth looked down.

** I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore. The monster wailed. **

** "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws." **

** "Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."**

"I'm guessing-"

"Jason, shut up," Thalia ordered.

The others snickered.

** The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!" **

** He lunged at Thalia and me, knowing we were weak and dazed. **

** "No.'" Annabeth yelled, and she charged at the monster. **

I whistled. "That took some guts."

"Thank you," she replied.

** "Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!" **

** But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life. "Fire!" Zoe ordered. **

"Why would they fire if they could possibly hit you?" Leo asked Annabeth.

"Well, let's see. There was a MANTICORE!" she yelled.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." he mumbled.

** "No!" I screamed. **

** But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntres! You shall pay!" **

** And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.**

"That's not good," I mumble.

** "Annabeth!" I yelled. **

** I started to run after her, but our enemies weren't done with us. There was a snap-snapsnap from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire.**

"Stupid mortals," Piper interrupted her own reading.

** Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter. **

** "Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt."**

"Artemis!" I said before anyone could stop me. I had to get it out.

"Again, Jason, STOP GUESSING!" Thalia yelled.

** She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night. **

** The Hunters advanced on us. **

** The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste.**

"You two have history?" Leo asked.

"Later," Thalia said.

** "Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual." **

** Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." **

** "Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see." **

** "Annabeth!" I yelled. "You have to let us save her!" **

"Aww, he cares!" Annabeth said. I think she was starting to feel better his whole "disappearing" thing.

** The auburn-haired girl turned toward me. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help." I tried to struggle to my feet, but a couple of the girls held me down. **

** "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," the auburn-haired girl said.**

"Nonsense, let the boy jump!" Leo exclaimed.

** "Let me go!" I demanded. "Who do you think you are?" **

** Zoe stepped forward as if to smack me. **

"She probably would have..." Thalia mumbled.

** "No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand." **

** The young girl looked at me, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt." **

"I knew it!" I exclaimed.

Thalia wacked me on the head.

"No more guessing for you!"

"Who wants to read next?" Piper asked.

"Leo does!" Leo exclaimed.

"Only if you don't talk in third person," Piper said, grinning.

"Fine! Leo will stop talking in third person."

Piper handed him the book.


	5. The Titan's Curse Ch3

Chapter 4: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the reader

**Jason's POV**

"**Chapter Three: Bianca Di Angelo Makes A Choice**," Leo read.

"What-"

"Jason, I swear to all the gods, if you don't stop trying to guess, I'm going to put an arrow trough your heart," Thalia warned.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "Leo continue."

**After seeing Dr. Thorn turn into a monster and plummet off the edge of a cliff with Annabeth, you'd think nothing else could shock me. But when this twelve-year-old girl told me she was the goddess Artemis, I said something real intelligent like, "Um… okay." **

"How come she is a twelve-year-old?" Piper asked,

"Gods can appear however they want, I think it's explained," Thalia said.

** That was nothing compared to Grover. He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so… you're so… Wow!" **

"Suck up," Leo interrupted his own reading.

"That is how you talk to gods!" Grover defended.

We laughed.

** "Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!" **

** "Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out." **

** Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who… who are you people?" **

** Artemis's expression softened."It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are **_**you**_**!Who**** are your parents?" **

"How would they know?" I asked.

"Beats me," Annabeth said.

** Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis. **

** Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…" **

** She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her. **

"Why wouldn't you believe us?" Nico asked. "Why would we lie about that?"

"We _did_ believe you, Percy just thought that," Thalia said.

** "What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth." **

** "You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian." **

** "An Olympian… athlete?" **

"Yep! Our parents are great athletes!" Leo joked.

** "No," Zoe said. "One of the gods." **

** "Cool!" said Nico. **

"Leave it to Death Breath to be excited by gods," Thalia smirked.

"What's that suppose-" Nico was cutoff by Annabeth's glare.

** "No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!" **

** Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—" **

"Nerdy much?" Leo asked.

"I was TEN!" Nico yelled at him.

**"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"**

"Buzzkill," Leo mumbled.

"Leo Valdez, I swear to Hades that I'm going to kill-"

"Both of you! Shut up!" Thalia yelled. "Leo READ!"

** As anxious as I felt about Annabeth—all I wanted to do was search for her—I couldn't help feeling sorry for the di Angelos. I remembered what it was like for me when I first learned I was a demigod. **

"He must really care a lot about you," Piper noted.

"We weren't even dating at that time..." Annabeth said, sadly.

** Thalia must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous." **

** "Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell." **

** Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained. **

"You all cared about me," Annabeth said.

"Percy cared more, just wait," Grover said.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

** "Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her." **

** "Then why won't you let us go look for her?" I asked. **

** "She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished." **

** I still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for her, but I had a feeling that Artemis was right. Annabeth was gone. If she'd been down there in the sea, I thought, I'd be able to feel her presence. **

"Can he really jump off a cliff into water and survive?" I asked.

"Yep," Annabeth said. "Jumped off the St. Louis Arch, too."

"I remember that! That was _him_!?" Piper said.

** "Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?" **

** "He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear." **

** "Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said. **

** Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?" **

** "And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real." **

"Why would I lie?" Nico mumbled to himself.

** "That's why Grover has been watching you," I said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods." **

** "Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?" **

** "Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. I thought Bianca was going to faint right there. **

"Grover!" Annabeth scolded. "You don't just do that to a person who just learned about the gods!"

"Sorry, I didn't know!" he pleaded.

**"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out." **

"Thank you, Thalia," Annabeth said.

"No problem."

** "Hey, my hooves are clean!" **

** "Bianca," I said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp." **

** "Camp?" she asked. **

** "Camp Half-Blood," I said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like." **

** "Sweet, let's go!" said Nico. **

"You sure are enthusiastic," Piper said.

"That was the old me..." Nico said.

** "Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—" **

** "There is another option," Zoe said. **

** "No, there isn't!" Thalia said. Thalia and Zoe glared at each other. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other. **

"Yeah... that ended well," Thalia mumbled.

I opened my mouth to ask what she meant, but she yelled at me before I could speak.

"Jason Grace! Do not ask! It happens LATER!"

"Fine," I pouted.

** "We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school." **

** "Yes, my lady." **

** "And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you." **

** "What about me?" Nico asked. **

** Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?" **

** Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!" **

"Suck up," Leo laughed.

"I was not!" Grover protested.

** Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff. Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp. **

"Wow, even Percy thinks you're geeky," Thalia said.

** Zoe gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things. **

** As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so… Argh!" **

** "I'm with you," I said. "I don't trust—" **

** "Oh, you're with me?" Thalia turned on me furiously. "What were you thinking back there in the gym, Percy? You'd take on Dr. Thorn all by yourself? You knew he was a monster!" **

"Thalia, just remember, he has done stupider stuff," Annabeth said.

"Oh yeah, like blowing up a volcano."

"And bathing in the Styx."

"And attacking Kronos."

"Let's get back to the book," I said.

** "If we'd stuck together, we could've taken him without the Hunters getting involved. Annabeth might still be here. Did you think of that?" **

** My jaw clenched. I thought of some harsh things to say, and I might've said them too, but then I looked down and saw something navy blue lying in the snow at my feet. Annabeth's New York Yankees baseball cap. **

"Good thing he didn't say those things," Thalia said.

"I didn't know he had my cap," Annabeth said.

** Thalia didn't say another word. She wiped a tear from her cheek, turned, and marched off, leaving me alone with a trampled cap in the snow. **

** The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid, but I decided I would stick close to the tents. Falcons watched us from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, and I got the feeling they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was almost pleasant sitting by the fire. **

** Almost… except for the pain in my shoulder and the guilt weighing me down. I couldn't believe Annabeth was gone. And as angry as I was at Thalia, I had a sinking feeling that she was right. It **_**was**_** my fault. **

"Yeah, he acknowledges his mistakes at least," Annabeth noted.

"Unlike a certain demigod son of Jupiter," Piper said looking at me.

"Hey! That was only a few times!" I protested.

They all laughed.

** What had Annabeth wanted to tell me in the gym? Something serious, she'd said. Now I might never find out. I thought about how we'd danced together for half a song, and my heart felt even heavier.**

"He cares a _lot _about you!" Piper gushed. We all looked at her funny.

"What? Just because I'm a tough girl doesn't mean I can't like a little romance!"

"Well you sure care a lot about Percy," I noted. I regretted it as soon as I said it.

"Well- It's- Never mind," she spat.

"Aw, Piper!" I protested.

"Just let he cool down, she'll be fine," Thalia said.

** I watched Thalia pacing in the snow at the edge of camp, walking among the wolves without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods. I wondered what she was thinking. **

** Seven years ago, Thalia had been turned into a pine tree by her father, to prevent her from dying. She'd stood her ground against an army of monsters on top of Half-Blood Hill in order to give her friends Luke and Annabeth time to escape. She'd only been back as a human for a few months now, and once in a while she would stand so motionless you'd think she was still a tree. Finally, one of the Hunters brought me my backpack. Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped me fix up my wounded arm. **

** "It's green!" Nico said with delight. **

"You sure are happy that it's a different color," Thalia said.

"I didn't know any better!" Nico responded.

** "Hold still," Grover told me. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out."**

** I winced as he dressed the wound, but the ambrosia square helped. It tasted like homemade brownie, dissolving in my mouth and sending a warm feeling through my whole body. Between that and the magic salve Grover used, my shoulder felt better within a couple of minutes. **

** Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot. **

"You like Greek Gods _before_ you found out you were a demigod?" I asked Nico.

"Yeah, I got some on the way to the school."

** "Big collection," I said. **

** Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones." **

** "You've been playing this game a long time?"**

** "Just this year. Before that…" He knit his eyebrows. **

"What?" I asked.

** "What?" I asked. **

"Look! Jason is thinking like Percy!" Thalia laughed.

"That's not a good thing, considering he_ doesn't_ think," Annabeth said, laughing.

** "I forget. That's weird." **

** He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"**

** I showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it. **

** "Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?" **

** "Um, well, I don't actually write with it." **

"Why have a pen you don't write with?" Leo asked.

"Never thought about it," Annabeth said. She started looking at the trees like she was thinking why Percy never used his pan/sword to write.

** "Are you really the son of Poseidon?" **

** "Well, yeah." **

** "Can you surf really well, then?"**

Everyone laughed at that.

"He probably can though,"Grover said.

** I looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh. **

** "Jeez, Nico," I said. "I've never really tried." **

** He went on asking questions. Did I fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? (I didn't answer that one.) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? (I tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one.) Was Annabeth my girlfriend? (At this point, I was ready to stick the kid in a meat-flavored sack and throw him to the wolves.) **

"You asked him if we were dating and he said?" Annabeth asked.

"He didn't answer," Nico said. He didn't meet her eyes. That showed he was lying.

** I figured any second he was going to ask me how many hit points I had, and I'd lose my cool completely, but then Zoe Nightshade came up to us. **

** "Percy Jackson." **

** She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that I had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Yes, ma'am." She studied me distastefully, like I was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch. **

"She really didn't like boys," Thalia said.

"Just like most Hunters," I added.

** "Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee." **

** Zoe led me to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved me inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl, who I still had trouble thinking of as Artemis. **

** The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others I didn't recognize. I figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot. I thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then I realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap. **

"Of course he thinks about a 'animal rights activist' while looking at the tent," Thalia said.

"ADHD is a beautiful thing," Leo said before continuing.

** "Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said. **

** I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied me, which made me uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl. **

** "Are you surprised by my age?" she asked. **

** "Uh… a little." **

** "I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray." **

"There, Jason. You have your answer," Annabeth said.

"What?" I asked.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You wanted to know why she appeared so young, well she just explained it!"

"Okay, jeez."

** "Go astray?" I asked. "Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves." **

** "Oh." Zoe sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at me as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was my fault, like I'd invented the idea of being a guy.**

"No she just hated you," Thalia said.

**"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" She looked at Zoe. "Which one was it?" **

** "That boy in Colorado," Zoe said. "You turned him into a jackalope." **

"What?" Leo asked.

"Don't ask," Thalia sighed.

"Fine," Leo continued reading.

** "Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you." **

** And so I told her. **

** When I was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."**

"I wont try to guess this time," I said.

"Good," Thalia said. "I don't want to have to kill my brother.

** Zoe sat forward. "The scent, my lady?" **

** "Yes." **

** "What scent?" I asked. **

** "Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten." **

** She stared at me intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said." **

** "Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'" **

"Why would she care about that?" Annabeth said. "Seaweed Brain," she mumbled.

** "No, no. After that." **

** "He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."**

** Zoe's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand. **

** "Go on, Percy," the goddess said. **

** "Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—" **

** "Stirring," Bianca corrected. **

"How does _she_ remember more than Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"Percy doesn't handle 'details' well," Grover explained. Making air quotes around the word details.

** "Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"**

** The goddess was so still she could've been a statue. **

** "Maybe he was lying," I said. **

"Why would Thorn lie?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it," Thalia said.

**Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."**

** Zoe looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."**

** "No, Zoe. I must do this alone."**

** "But, Artemis—"**

** "This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."**

"Where?" I asked.

"Later," Thalia said.

** "As… as you wish, my lady."**

** I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."**

** "You know what the monster is?" I asked.**

** Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."**

** "Can goddesses pray?" I asked, because I'd never really thought about that.**

"Can a goddess pray?" Leo asked.

"I don't know," Annabeth admitted.

** A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips.**

** "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."**

** "Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"**

"That would have been funny," Thalia said.

** "Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."**

** "What?" Zoe' blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"**

** "Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."**

"Where any of you there when-" Leo started.

"No! Start reading again," Annabeth said.

** Zoe muttered something about foolish campers.**

** And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"**

** Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."**

** "Wait," I said. "Thinking about what?"**

** "They… they've invited me to join the Hunt." **

"Duh Duh Duuuhhhh," Leo said.

"Leo, shut up!" Thalia said.

**"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."**

** "It is not the only way for a girl," Zoe said. **

** I couldn't believe I was hearing this. "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and… I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?" **

"Immortality? Right?" I said.

"Yeah, that's a plus," Thalia said.

** "To begin with," Zoe said, "immortality." **

** I stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?" **

** "Zoe rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal… unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath." **

"The oath against dating?" I asked.

"Yes, Jason! Gods, why do you always have to ask questions?" Thalia said.

"Fine."

** "What oath?" I said. **

** "To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally." **

** "Like you?" **

** The goddess nodded. **

** I tried to imagine what she was saying. Being immortal. Hanging out with only middleschool girls forever. I couldn't get my mind around it. "So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—" **

"Yeah, he only needs _one_ girl in his life, Annabeth," Thalia smirked.

Annabeth blushed. "Shut up."

** "Not just half-bloods," Zoe interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—" **

** "Which are you, then?" **

** Anger flashed in Zoe's eyes. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice." **

"Okay, she _really_ hates Percy," Leo noted.

** "Bianca, this is crazy," I said. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter." "Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do." **

** "Hey!" I protested. **

** "You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us." **

** "A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility." **

"Sounds nice," Piper said. "But I think I'll stick with my boyfriend."

Seems like Piper is back to being Piper. Good thing, too. I would probably have died in the quest to save Hera if not for her.

**"Bianca, you can't do this," I said. "It's nuts." **

** She looked at Zoe. "Is it worth it?" **

** Zoe nodded. "It is." **

** "What do I have to do?" **

** "Say this," Zoe told her, " 'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'" **

** "I… I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis." **

** "'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'" **

** Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?" **

"That is pretty easy to remember," I noted.

"You'll never have to use it, by the way," Thalia and Piper said.

** Zoe nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding." **

** "I accept it," Artemis said. **

** The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel… stronger."**

"That is the immortality taking effect, all new hunters feel like that," Thalia

"You're the only person that would know, you're the only immortal," I said.

"Percy could have been immortal," Annabeth noted.

"What!?" Piper, Leo, and I asked.

"I think it's mentioned in a later book."

"Fine we'll wait," I said. "Leo please continue."

** "Welcome, sister," Zoe said. **

** "Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."**

** I couldn't speak. I felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. I couldn't believe I'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls' club. **

** "Do not despair, Percy Jackson," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there." **

"I chose to stay for a little," Nico grumbled.

** "Great," I said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?" **

** Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoe, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother." **

"Apollo, right?" I asked.

"Yeah," Annabeth said.

"Oh great..." Thalia grumbled.

I didn't know what Thalia meant, but decided not to ask. I've had enough death threats for one month.

** Zoe didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do." **

** Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess. **

** "So," I said glumly. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"**

** Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo." **

"Hey!" Nico protested.

"In her defense, you were _very_ annoying before you learned about your parent," Thalia said.

Grover nodded.

"Yeah, and Apollo is probably worse," Grover added.

"Alright, whose next?" Leo asked raising the book.

"I'll go," I said.


	6. The Titan's Curse Ch4

Chapter 6: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer I do not own any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or any of the Heroes of Olympus books. All rights go to author Rick Riordan. This story is meant to be for fun and the enjoyment of the reader

**Piper's POV**

"**Thalia Torches New England**," Jason began.

"_What_?" I asked.

Thalia looked down, "You'll see."

**Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. I didn't want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember was "Percy Jackson," and then I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt… again.**

"What does he mean 'again'?" Leo asked.

"When he was twelve, he was the subject of a nationwide manhunt," Annabeth said. "Same year as his first quest, actually it was _during_ our quest."

"Oh." was his reply.

**The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that. **

"That's what I thought originally," Nico mumbled.

**Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around me, anxious to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess. **

**When I told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well." **

"What happened?" I asked. The hunters seemed pretty cool to me. Especially when they helped us in our quest.

They shrugged. "Before my time," Annabeth said.

"Grover?" I asked.

"Let's just say that the cabins were burned down and leave it at that," he states, motioning for Jason to continue.

**"How'd they even show up here?" I wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere." **

**"And Bianca **_**joined**_**them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—" **

**"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh. Thalia rolled her eyes. **

"You're luck Juniper is not here," Annabeth pointed out.

"Yeah, she'd kill me," he said. "Good thing."

**"You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?" **

**"But she's so… into nature," Grover swooned. **

**"You're nuts," said Thalia. **

**"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah." **

"Dang, Grover. You are really into nature," Leo laughed.

"Well I am a satyr," he said defensively.

**Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter." **

**"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I asked **

**"For my brother. Yes." **

"Is her brother driving the sun?" Leo asked.

"Not quite..." Annabeth said.

**I didn't want to be rude. I mean, I knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimes Helios—driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But I also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. I'd gotten used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still… I didn't see how Apollo could drive the sun. **

**"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said, like she was reading my mind.**

"Oh, okay," Leo said.

**"Oh, okay." I started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—" **

**There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth. **

**"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks." **

"Parks?" Jason, Leo, and I asked.

"Just wait," Thalia said.

_**Parks**_**? **

**I averted my eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly the light died. **

**I looked. And I couldn't believe it. It was **_**my**_**car. Well, the car I wanted, anyway. A red convertible Maserati Spyder. It was so awesome it glowed. Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my shoes were wet. **

Leo grinned. "I want a sun chariot!" he exclaimed.

A crazy thought of Leo driving the sun chariot flashed into my head. That would not end well.

**The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and for a second, I had the uneasy feeling it was Luke, my old enemy. This guy had the same sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. But it wasn't Luke. This guy was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke's. His smile was brighter and more playful. (Luke didn't do much more than scowl and sneer these days.) The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt. **

**"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot." **

"He's the sun god," Jason said.

"Go back to reading," Thalia ordered."

**"He's the sun god," I said. **

"Look Jason thinks like Percy," Thalia laughed.

Annabeth grinned. "That's not a good thing."

**"That's not what I meant." **

**"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!" **

**Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister." **

"They _are_ twins, aren't they?" I asked.

"Yes, but like most siblings, they bicker a lot," Annabeth said.

**"Hey, I was born first." **

**"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—" **

**"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery? **

"Not a good thing to say in front of the hunters," Thalia mumbled.

**Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood." **

**"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a **_**stop everything gesture**_**. "I feel a haiku coming on." **

"Well he _is_ the god of music, he must be good at poetry," Leo deduced.

"Check again. Jason?" Thalia said.

I didn't think Apollo could be _that_ bad.

**The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before. **

**He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically. **

**"**_**Green grass breaks through snow. **_

_**Artemis pleads for my help. **_

_**I am so cool**_**." **

"I stand corrected,"Leo announced.

We laughed.

**He grinned at us, waiting for applause. **

**"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said. **

**Apollo frowned. "Was it?" **

**"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?" **

"That described him perfectly!" Thalia said. Looks like someone doesn't like him anymore.

**"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself. **

**Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, **_**There once was a goddess from Sparta**_**—****" **

**"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!" He bowed, looking very pleased with himself. **

"Wow, sounds a lot like Leo," I said.

The others laughed while Leo grinned like a mad man.

"I should start doing poetry!"

"No!" we all said at once.

"Fine," he pouted.

**"And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll." **

**"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to us. "Some of Chiron's campers." **

**"No problem!" Apollo checked us out. "Let's see… Thalia, right? I've heard all about you." **

**Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo." **

**"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—" **

"Has it happened before you?" I asked.

"Hmm, not that I can remember," Annabeth said.

"I Hyperion was a 'pretty girl' he could count," Grover said.

"You mean the Titan of the East?" Jason asked.

"Percy and I turned him into a tree during the was against Kronos," Grover explained.

"Makes sense," Leo said.

"Not really..." I mumbled.

**"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going." **

**"Oh, right." Then he looked at me, and his eyes narrowed. "Percy Jackson?" **

"Someone's not a fan!" Leo said.

"Leo, shut up, please?" I asked.

"I'll try, but I don't know how long I'll last."

**"Yeah. I mean… yes, sir." It seemed weird calling a teenager "sir," but I'd learned to be careful with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. Then they blew stuff up. **

"Under statement," Annabeth said.

Thunder boomed overhead.

Annabeth stood and looked up. "Well it's true!" She then sat back down and motioned for Jason to continue.

**Apollo studied me, but he didn't say anything, which I found a little creepy. **

**"Well!" he said at last. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."**

"Just like the sun," I noted.

**I looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of us. **

"How will you all fit?" Leo asked.

**"Cool car," Nico said. **

**"Thanks, kid," Apollo said. **

**"But how will we all fit?"**

"Great, now I think like ten year old Nico," Leo sighed.

"What's that suppose to mean, Valdez?" Nico said, a little anger in his voice.

"Nothing," Leo squeaked.

**"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose…" **

**He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp. For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games. **

"Okay! I gotta make on of those!" Leo exclaimed. His nose blew a little fire from his excitement.

"After you finish the ship," Annabeth said.

**"Right," he said. "Everybody in." **

**Zoe ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that." **

"Not a smart move," Thalia said.

**Zoe recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously. **

**"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart." **

**Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"**

**"Hunting," Artemis said. "It's none of your business." **

**"I'll find out. I see all. Know all." **

"He sounds like Rachel," I said.

They all laughed.

"Rachel kind of works for Apollo, so yeah," Annabeth said.

**Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!" **

**"No, no! I never mess around." **

**Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoe, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."**

**Zoe straightened. "Yes, my lady."**

**Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found." **

"It must be a really scary beast," I said. Jason and Leo nodded.

Thalia looked like she was trying not to laugh. Annabeth was grinning a little and Grover was pinching himself to keep himself from laughing.

"What?" I demanded.

"Nothing," they said.

**She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows. **

**Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. "So," he said. "Who wants to drive?" **

"Did he really let one of you drive?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Thalia said.

"So COOL!"

**The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of us highly infectious males, Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with us, which seemed cold to me, but Nico didn't seem to mind. **

**"This is so cool!" Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver's seat. "Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it's them and sometimes it's you and Artemis?" **

"Why is that?" Jason asked.

"He tell you I think," Annabeth says.

**"Downsizing," Apollo said. "The Romans started it. They couldn't afford all those temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene and folded their duties into our job descriptions. My sis got the moon. I got the sun. It was pretty annoying at first, but at least I got this cool car." "But how does it work?" Nico asked. "I thought the sun was a big fiery ball of gas!" Apollo chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair. "That rumor probably got started because Artemis used to call me a big fiery ball of gas. Seriously, kid, it depends on whether you're talking astronomy or philosophy. You want to talk astronomy? Bah, what fun is that? You want to talk about how humans think about the sun? Ah, now that's more interesting. They've got a lot riding on the sun… er, so to speak. It keeps them warm, grows their crops, powers engines, makes everything look, well, sunnier. This chariot is built out of human dreams about the sun, kid. It's as old as Western Civilization. Every day, it drives across the sky from east to west, lighting up all those puny little mortal lives. The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it. Make sense?" **

"Not really," Leo said.

**Nico shook his head. "No." **

"Geez, Leo, you really do sound like young Nico," Thalia said.

Leo pouted.

**"Well then, just think of it as a really powerful, really dangerous solar car." **

**"Can I drive?" **

"Did you really ask that?" I asked.

"I was YOUNG!" Nico shouted.

**"No. Too young." **

"See Apollo agrees," Nico said.

**"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand. **

**"Mm, no," Apollo said. "Too furry." He looked past me and focused on Thalia. **

"What does fur have to do with driving?" I asked.

They shook their heads.

"No clue, Apollo is weird..." Grover said.

**"Daughter of Zeus!" he said. "Lord of the sky. Perfect." **

**"Oh, no." Thalia shook her head. "No, thanks." **

**"C'mon," Apollo said. "How old are you?" **

**Thalia hesitated. "I don't know." **

"How-" Leo started.

"He says it!" Thalia exclaimed.

Now that Jason was reading, I guess Leo figured that he needed to ask all the questioned Jason would normally ask. He is getting the same results, too. Getting yelled at by Thalia.

**It was sad, but true. She'd been turned into a tree when she was twelve, but that had been seven years ago. So she should be nineteen, if you went by years. But she still felt like she was twelve, and if you looked at her, she seemed somewhere in between. The best Chiron could figure, she had kept aging while in tree form, but much more slowly. **

**Apollo tapped his finger to his lips. "You're fifteen, almost sixteen." **

**"How do you know that?" **

**"Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week." **

"He sounds like a stalker," Leo mumbled.

Thalia glared at him..

**"That's my birthday! December twenty-second." **

**"Which means you're old enough now to drive with a learner's permit!" **

**Thalia shifted her feet nervously. "Uh—" **

**"I know what you're going to say," Apollo said. "You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun chariot." **

"Sounds like a great honor," I said with sarcasm.

**"That's not what I was going to say." **

**"Don't sweat it! Maine to Long Island is a really short trip, and don't worry about what happened to the last kid I trained. You're Zeus's daughter. He's not going to blast you out of the sky." Apollo laughed good-naturedly. **

"Um... what?" Leo asked.

"Zeus is very... territorial," Thalia said.

Annabeth nodded. "He hates when people go through his domain, especially his brothers' children.

**The rest of us didn't join him. Thalia tried to protest, but Apollo was absolutely not going to take "no" for an answer. He hit a button on the dashboard, and a sign popped up along the top of the windshield. I had to read it backward (which, for a dyslexic, really isn't that different than reading forward). I was pretty sure it said WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER. **

**"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!" **

**I'll admit I was jealous. I couldn't wait to start driving. A couple of times that fall, my mom had taken me out to Montauk when the beach road was empty, and she'd let me try out her Mazda. I mean, yeah, that was a Japanese compact, and this was the sun chariot, but how different could it be? **

"Probably a lot different," Leo said.

**"Speed equals heat," Apollo advised. "So start slowly, and make sure you've got good altitude before you really open her up." **

**Thalia gripped the wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. She looked like she was going to be sick. **

**"What's wrong?" I asked her. **

**"Nothing," she said shakily. "N-nothing is wrong." **

"Obviously something is wrong," Piper said.

**She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast I fell back and crashed against something soft. **

**"Ow" Grover said. **

We laughed at that.

**"Sorry." **

**"Slower!" Apollo said. **

**"Sorry!" Thalia said. "I've got it under control!" **

**I managed to get to my feet. Looking out the window, I saw a smoking ring of trees from the clearing where we'd taken off. **

"_Dang_! That means you're going _fast_," Leo said.

Thalia hit him on the head. "Shut it, Valdez."

"Sorry..." he mumbled rubbing his head.

**"Thalia," I said, "lighten up on the accelerator." **

**"I've got it, Percy," she said, gritting her teeth. But she kept it floored. **

**"Loosen up," I told her. **

**"I'm loose!"Thalia said. She was so stiff she looked like she was made out of plywood. **

**"We need to veer south for Long Island," Apollo said. "Hang a left." **

**Thalia jerked the wheel and again threw me into Grover, who yelped. **

**"The other left," Apollo suggested. **

"How many lefts are there?" Jason joked.

"Never forget I could run you through with a dagger or shoot you with an arrow," Thalia said.

Jason gulped and continued reading.

**I made the mistake of looking out the window again. We were at airplane height now— so high the sky was starting to look black. **

**"Ah…" Apollo said, and I got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over." **

**Thalia tilted the wheel. Her face was chalk white, her forehead beaded with sweat. Something was definitely wrong. I'd never seen her like this. **

"Me neither," I said.

**The bus pitched down and somebody screamed. Maybe it was me. Now we were heading straight toward the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour, the New England coastline off to our right. And it was getting hot in the bus. **

**Apollo had been thrown somewhere in the back of the bus, but he started climbing up the rows of seats. **

**"Take the wheel!" Grover begged him. **

**"No worries," Apollo said. He looked plenty worried. "She just has to learn to— WHOA!" **

"That is the reason why he should be worried," Leo said.

**I saw what he was seeing. Down below us was a little snow-covered New England town. At least, it used to be snow-covered. As I watched, the snow melted off the trees and the roofs and the lawns. The white steeple on a church turned brown and started to smolder. Little plumes of smoke, like birthday candles, were popping up all over the town. Trees and rooftops were catching fire. **

**"Pull up!" I yelled. There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes. She yanked back on the wheel, and I held on this time. As we zoomed up, I could see through the back window that the fires in the town were being snuffed out by the sudden blast of cold. **

**"There!" Apollo pointed. "Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down, dear. 'Dead' is only an expression." **

"Maybe for him, but we could actually die," Annabeth said.

**Thalia was thundering toward the coastline of northern Long Island. There was Camp Half-Blood: the valley, the woods, the beach. I could see the dining pavilion and cabins and the amphitheater. **

**"I'm under control," Thalia muttered. "I'm under control." **

"Obviously you're not," Leo noted.

"Valdez, I swear-" Thalia started.

"Continue Jason!" I said before Thalia could attack Leo.

**We were only a few hundred yards away now. **

**"Brake," Apollo said. **

**"I can do this." **

**"BRAKE!" **

**Thalia slammed her foot on the brake, and the sun bus pitched forward at a forty-fivedegree angle, slamming into the Camp Half-Blood canoe lake with a huge FLOOOOOOSH! Steam billowed up, sending several frightened naiads scrambling out of the water with halfwoven wicker baskets. **

**The bus bobbed to the surface, along with a couple of capsized, half-melted canoes. **

**"Well," said Apollo with a brave smile. "You were right, my dear. You had everything under control! Let's go see if we boiled anyone important, shall we?" **

"Done!" Jason exclaimed, closing the book.

"Jason! Why did you close it?" Annabeth yelled.

"Oh... my bad," Jason said looking embarrassed.

"Never mind, give it to me," Annabeth said gesturing for the book.

He handed it to her.


	7. The Titan's Curse Ch5

Chapter 7: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**(A/N I was thinking of switching the POVs of each chapter every three chapters. The order will go from Jason, to Piper, to Leo, then to Annabeth, since people wanted Annabeth's POV)**

**Piper's POV**

"**I Place An Underwater Phone Call**," Annabeth read.

'What does that mean?" Jason asked.

"I don't know," they all answered.

**I'd never seen Camp Half-Blood in winter before, and the snow surprised me. **

** See, the camp has the ultimate magic climate control. Nothing gets inside the borders unless the director, Mr. D, wants it to. I thought it would be warm and sunny, but instead the snow had been allowed to fall lightly. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body. I wondered if the spirit of Delphi was roasting marshmallows up there or something. **

"Yes, because the Oracle of Delphi roasts marshmallows when she get hungry," Nico joked.

"Isn't Rachel the oracle?" I asked.

"She isn't the oracle until later," Annabeth explained.

"Oh."

** "Whoa," Nico said as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?" **

** "Yeah," I said. **

** "Why is there lava pouring down it?" **

** "Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—" **

** "I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me." **

** "I'll show you the way," Grover offered.**

"Obviously she would refuse," Thalia said.

"Just doing my job," Grover retorted.

** "We know the way." **

** "Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't"—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—"like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!" **

"Grover, we should work on your walking," Nico joked.

"I have hooves," Grover defended.

"Those Hunters _really_ don't like boys," Leo stated, sadly. I could tell he like Thalia, he really didn't hide it well, just like his crush on Khione.

** Zoe rolled her eyes, but I guess she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in her brothers ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away. **

** "Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at me. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."**

"I get what he meant now," Thalia and Grover said to each other.

** "What do you mean?" **

** Instead of answering, he hopped back in the bus. "Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!" **

** He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. I turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When I looked back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight. **

"Obviously he knew something, he _is_ the god of prophecies," Grover sighed.

"I'm pretty sure Percy is hopeless," Thalia laughed.

"No way he is that dumb," Leo smirked.

"He is, but he has good instincts," Annabeth defended her boyfriend.

** Nico was still looking grumpy. I wondered what his sister had told him. **

** "Who's Chiron?" he asked. "I don't have his figurine." **

"Yes, because Chiron has a figurine," Thalia laughed.

Nico pouted, "I was ten."

** "Our activities director," I said. "He's… well, you'll see." **

** "If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled, "that's good enough for me. Let's go." **

** The second thing that surprised me about camp was how empty it was. I mean, I knew most half-bloods only trained during the summer. Just the year-rounders would be here—the ones who didn't have homes to go to, or would get attacked by monsters too much if they left. But there didn't even seem to be many of them, either. **

** I spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge outside the camp armory. The Stoll brothers, Travis and Connor, from the Hermes cabin, were picking the lock on the camp store. A few kids from the Ares cabin were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs at the edge of the forest. That was about it. Even my old rival from the Ares cabin, Clarisse, didn't seem to be around. **

** The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate. Mr. D, the camp director, and Chiron were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor. Chiron's brown beard was shaggier for the winter. His curly hair had grown a little longer. He wasn't posing as a teacher this year, so I guess he could afford to be casual. He wore a fuzzy sweater with a hoofprint design on it, and he had a blanket on his lap that almost hid his wheelchair completely. **

"He was wearing the same thing yesterday," I said.

"Really?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, at least, I think it was the same."

** He smiled when he saw us. "Percy! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—" **

** "Nico di Angelo," I said. "He and his sister are half-bloods." **

** Chiron breathed a sigh of relief. "You succeeded, then." **

** "Well…" **

** His smile melted. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?" **

** "Oh, dear," Mr. D said in a bored voice, "Not another one lost." **

"Like he actually cared," Thalia said.

"Never met the guy," Leo said.

"He is camp director. Sent by Zeus as punishment for 'getting with' an off-limits wood nymph. He has to spend a century here," Annabeth explained.

"It's torture!" Nico said dramatically.

"And he was recalled, right?" Jason said.

"That's what Chiron said," Annabeth replied.

**I'd been trying not to pay attention to Mr. D, but he was kind of hard to ignore in his neon orange leopard-skin warm-up suit and his purple running shoes. (Like Mr. D had ever run a day in his immortal life.) A golden laurel wreath was tilted sideways on his curly black hair, which must've meant he'd won the last hand of cards. **

** "What do you mean?" Thalia asked. "Who else is lost?" **

** Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. "The Hunters are all moved in!" **

"Did they slap you?" Thalia asked.

"Zoe did, but I think I deserved it," Grover explained.

"What did you do?" Leo asked, grinning.

"Nothing you need to know," Grover said.

Leo looked disappointed.

** Chiron frowned. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He glanced at Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film." **

** "But… Oh, right. Yes, sir." **

** "Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—" **

"Yes, the film about killing monsters is G," Annabeth said.

"I was ten and watched a PG-13 movie. It was awesome," Nico exclaimed.

"Percy never watched it," Grover said.

"That's why he knew almost nothing," Annabeth noted.

** "It's PG-13," Grover said. **

** "Cool!" Nico happily followed him out of the room. **

** "Now," Chiron said to Thalia and me, "perhaps you two should sit down and tell us the whole story." **

** When we were done, Chiron turned to Mr. D. "We should launch a search for Annabeth immediately." **

** "I'll go," Thalia and I said at the same time. **

"You two are really sweet," Annabeth said to Thalia.

"I think Percy became sweeter on you," Thalia smirked.

Annabeth blushed a deep red and continued reading.

** Mr. D sniffed. "Certainly not!" **

** Thalia and I both started complaining, but Mr. D held up his hand. He had that purplish angry fire in his eyes that usually meant something bad and godly was going to happen if we didn't shut up. **

** "From what you have told me," Mr. D said, "we have broken even on this escapade. We have, ah, regrettably lost Annie Bell—" **

** "Annabeth," I snapped. She'd gone to camp since she was seven, and still Mr. D pretended not to know her name. **

"He does that to everyone," Thalia said.

"I'm Nate," Nico said.

"I'm Mr. Undershirt," Grover said. We laughed at that name.

"I never got a nickname," Thalia admitted.

"Lucky," Nico and Grover mumbled.

"Percy was Peter Johnson or Perry," Annabeth laughed.

"I think his Roman half did the same. He always called me John Green," Jason said.

"Sounds like John Deer," I laughed.

** "Yes, yes," he said. "And you procured a small annoying boy to replace her. So I see no point risking further half-bloods on a ridiculous rescue. The possibility is very great that this Annie girl is dead." **

"Thanks for having faith, Mr. D," Annabeth mumbled.

**I wanted to strangle Mr. D. It wasn't fair Zeus had sent him here to dry out as camp director for a hundred years. It was meant to be a punishment for Mr. D's bad behavior on Olympus, but it ended up being a punishment for all of us. **

"If you strangled him, I would have helped," Thalia told the book.

** "Annabeth may be alive," Chiron said, but I could tell he was having trouble sounding upbeat. He'd practically raised Annabeth all those years she was a year-round camper, before she'd given living with her dad and stepmom a second try. "She's very bright. If… if our enemies have her, she will try to play for time. She may even pretend to cooperate." **

** "That's right," Thalia said. "Luke would want her alive." **

** "In which case" said Mr. D, "I'm afraid she will have to be smart enough to escape on her own." **

** I got up from the table. **

"He's about to get in trouble?" Annabeth guessed.

"Yep," Thalia and Grover said.

** "Percy." Chiron's tone was full of warning. In the back of my mind, I knew Mr. D was not somebody to mess with. Even if you were an impulsive ADHD kid like me, he wouldn't give you any slack. But I was so angry I didn't care. **

** "You're glad to lose another camper," I said. "You'd like it if we all disappeared!" **

** Mr. D stifled a yawn. "You have a point?"**

"So he admits it!" Nico eclaimed.

** "Yeah," I growled. "Just because you were sent here as a punishment doesn't mean you have to be a lazy jerk! This is your civilization, too. Maybe you could try helping out a little!"**

"Savage," Nico said, grinning. His smile was creepy, like a murderer about to kill his next victim. I like him better frowning because of that.

"What?" the demigods asked.

"It's an Underworld thing," Nico said, ignoring the looks from us.

** For a second, there was no sound except the crackle of the fire. The light reflected in Mr. D's eyes, giving him a sinister look. He opened his mouth to say something—probably a curse that would blast me to smithereens—when Nico burst into the room, followed by Grover. **

** "SO COOL!" Nico yelled, holding his hands out to Chiron. "You're… you're a centaur!" Chiron managed a nervous smile. "Yes, Mr. di Angelo, if you please. Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters." **

** "And, whoa!" He looked at Mr. D. "You're the wine dude? No way!" **

"The wine dude!" Leo fell over laughing. "I'm sure he loved that!"

Jason was laughing, too. "Nico, you were really immature."

** Mr. D turned his eyes away from me and gave Nico a look of loathing. "The wine dude?" "Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine." **

** "My figurine." **

** "In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too! And even though you've only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you're the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!" **

"You just saved Percy, good job," Annabeth thanked.

Nico smiled again, "It was no problem. Even though I didn't know it."

**"Ah." Mr. D seemed truly perplexed, which probably saved my life. "Well, that's… gratifying." **

** "Percy," Chiron said quickly, "you and Thalia go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we'll be playing capture the flag tomorrow evening." **

"Chiron saved his butt that time," Grover said.

"When does Chiron ever not help us?" Thalia and Annabeth asked.

** "Capture the flag?" I asked. "But we don't have enough—" **

** "It is a tradition," Chiron said. "A friendly match, whenever the Hunters visit." **

** "Yeah," Thalia muttered. "I bet it's real friendly." **

"Is it really bad?" I asked.

"Not all the time, but that time was bad," Thalia answered.

"Why aren't we playing it then? The Hunters are visiting!" Leo asked.

"Ask Chiron," Thalia and Nico said.

Leo started to get up, but Jason pulled him back down.

"Stay," he ordered, "You need to know this stuff."

** Chiron jerked his head toward Mr. D, who was still frowning as Nico talked about how many defense points all the gods had in his game. "Run along now," Chiron told us. **

** "Oh, right," Thalia said. "Come on, Percy." **

** She hauled me out of the Big House before Dionysus could remember that he wanted to kill me. **

"Another enemy for Percy Jackson," Nico said, pretending to write it down on a notepad.

** "You've already got Ares on your bad side," Thalia reminded me as we trudged toward the cabins. "You need another immortal enemy?" **

** She was right. My first summer as a camper, I'd gotten in a fight with Ares, and now he and all his children wanted to kill me. I didn't need to make Dionysus mad, too. **

** "Sorry," I said. "I couldn't help it. It's just so unfair." **

** She stopped by the armory and looked out across the valley, toward the top of HalfBlood Hill. Her pine tree was still there, the Golden Fleece glittering in its lowest branch. The tree's magic still protected the borders of camp, but it no longer used Thalia's spirit for power. **

** "Percy, everything is unfair," Thalia muttered. "Sometimes I wish…" **

"Wish what?" Jason asked, worried for his sister.

"Nothing," Thalia said.

** She didn't finish, but her tone was so sad I felt sorry for her. With her ragged black hair and her black punk clothes, an old wool overcoat wrapped around her, she looked like some kind of huge raven, completely out of place in the white landscape. **

"Thanks," Thalia said sarcastically.

"Never thought I's ever see you wear anything but black clothes," Grover said.

"This is my uniform," Thalia said.

** "We'll get Annabeth back," I promised. "I just don't know how yet." **

** "First I found out that Luke is lost," she said. "Now Annabeth—" **

** "Don't think like that." **

** "You're right." She straightened up. "We'll find a way."**

** Over at the basketball court, a few of the Hunters were shooting hoops. One of them was arguing with a guy from the Ares cabin. The Ares kid had his hand on his sword and the Hunter girl looked like she was going to exchange her basketball for a bow and arrow any second. **

"That would be an interesting fight," I said. I had seen the Hunters. I knew they fought well. And the children of Ares were also good.

**"I'll break that up," Thalia said. "You circulate around the cabins. Tell everybody about capture the flag tomorrow." **

** "All right. You should be team captain." **

** "No, no," she said. "You've been at camp longer. You do it." **

** "We can, uh… co-captain or something." **

** She looked about as comfortable with that as I felt, but she nodded. **

"Is it really that bad?" I asked.

"It was really weird," Thalia admitted.

"I like this because I can learn what happened when I was with the Titans," Annabeth smirked.

** As she headed for the court, I said, "Hey, Thalia." **

** "Yeah?" **

** "I'm sorry about what happened at Westover. I should've waited for you guys." **

"He admits his mistakes all the time," Grover said. "So annoying."

** '"S okay, Percy. I probably would've done the same thing." She shifted from foot to foot, like she was trying to decide whether or not to say more. "You know, you asked about my mom and I kinda snapped at you. It's just… I went back to find her after seven years, and I found out she died in Los Angeles. She, um… she was a heavy drinker, and apparently she was out driving late one night about two years ago, and…" Thalia blinked hard. **

"Mom was a really irresponsible," Thalia said, blinking hard.

"Even after I was gone?" Jason asked.

"Even worse after you left."

** "I'm sorry." **

** "Yeah, well. It's… it's not like we were ever close. I ran away when I was ten. Best two years of my life were when I was running around with Luke and Annabeth. But still—" **

** "That's why you had trouble with the sun van."**

** She gave me a wary look. "What do you mean?" **

** "The way you stiffened up. You must've been thinking about your mom, not wanting to get behind the wheel."**

"That was it..." Thalia mumbled. Grover patted her shoulder.

** I was sorry I'd said anything. Thalia's expression was dangerously close to Zeus's, the one time I'd seen him get angry—like any minute, her eyes would shoot a million volts. **

** "Yeah," she muttered. "Yeah, that must've been it." **

** She trudged off toward the court, where the Ares camper and the Hunter were trying to kill each other with a sword and a basketball. **

** The cabins were the weirdest collection of buildings you've ever seen. Zeus and Hera's big white-columned buildings, Cabins One and Two, stood in the middle, with five gods' cabins on the left and five goddesses' cabins on the right, so they all made a U around the central green and the barbecue hearth. **

"How come there are more now?" I asked.

"Percy made the gods acknowledge all their children, of _all_ the gods. I'm sure it's explained in one of the books," Annabeth stated.

** I made the rounds, telling everybody about capture the flag. I woke up some Ares kid from his midday nap and he yelled at me to go away. When I asked him where Clarisse was he said, "Went on a quest for Chiron. Top secret!" **

** "Is she okay?" **

** "Haven't heard from her in a month. She's missing in action. Like your butt's gonna be if you don't get outta here!"**

"That is just peachy," Leo laughed.

** I decided to let him go back to sleep. **

** Finally I got to Cabin Three, the cabin of Poseidon. It was a low gray building hewn from sea stone, with shells and coral fossils imprinted in the rock. Inside, it was just as empty as always, except for my bunk. A Minotaur horn hung on the wall next to my pillow. **

"Can we go see it?" Leo asked.

"Maybe when we finish,"I said. I looked at Annabeth and she shrugged.

** I took Annabeth's baseball cap out of my backpack and set it on my nightstand. I'd give it to her when I found her. And I **_**would**_** find her. **

** I took off my wristwatch and activated the shield. It creaked noisily as it spiraled out. Dr. Thorn's spikes had dented the brass in a dozen places. One gash kept the shield from opening all the way, so it looked like a pizza with two slices missing. The beautiful metal pictures that my brother had crafted were all banged up. In the picture of me and Annabeth fighting the Hydra, it looked like a meteor had made a crater in my head. I hung the shield on its hook, next to the Minotaur horn, but it was painful to look at now. Maybe Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin could fix it for me. He was the best armorsmith in the camp. I'd ask him at dinner. **

** I was staring at the shield when I noticed a strange sound—water gurgling—and I realized there was something new in the room. At the back of the cabin was a big basin of gray sea rock, with a spout like the head of a fish carved in stone. Out of its mouth burst a stream of water, a saltwater spring that trickled into the pool. The water must've been hot, because it sent mist into the cold winter air like a sauna. It made the room feel warm and summery, fresh with the smell of the sea. **

"Is that the one?" Grover started.

"Probably," Annabeth answered.

"The one that what?" Jason asked.

"Later in the books," Annabeth replied.

** I stepped up to the pool. There was no note attached or anything, but I knew it could only be a gift from Poseidon. **

** I looked into the water and said, "Thanks, Dad." **

** The surface rippled. At the bottom of the pool, coins shimmered—a dozen or so golden drachma. I realized what the fountain was for. It was a reminder to keep in touch with my family. **

** I opened the nearest window, and the wintry sunlight made a rainbow in the mist. Then I fished a coin out of the hot water. **

** "Iris, O Goddess of the Rainbow," I said, "accept my offering." **

** I tossed a coin into the mist and it disappeared. Then I realized I didn't know who to contact first. **

"Your mom obviously," I said. They looked at me, confused. "She is probably worried."

"Probably not, she is used to his disappearing for days, even weeks," Annabeth explained.

"How is that normal?" Jason asked.

"It is for Percy."

** My mom? That would've been the "good son" thing to do, but she wouldn't be worried about me yet. She was used to me disappearing for days or weeks at a time. **

"See?" Annabeth grinned.

** My father? It had been way too long, almost two years, since I'd actually talked to him. But could you even send an Iris-message to a god? I'd never tried. Would it make them mad, like a sales call or something? **

"Only you Seaweed Brain," Annabeth muttered.

"Is that your couples nickname for him?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered.

I turned to Jason, "We should do that!"

"We do, I'm Sparky, according to you, and you're Pipes, or Beauty Queen to Leo," he explained.

"Oh yeah," I said.

** I hesitated. Then I made up my mind. **

** "Show me Tyson," I requested. "At the forges of the Cyclopes." **

** The mist shimmered, and the image of my half brother appeared. He was surrounded in fire, which would've been a problem if he weren't a Cyclops.**

"Or if he wasn't me!" Leo grinned, holding his hands up.

** He was bent over an anvil, hammering a red-hot sword blade. Sparks flew and flames swirled around his body. There was a marble-framed window behind him, and it looked out onto dark blue water—the bottom of the ocean. **

** "Tyson!" I yelled. **

** He didn't hear me at first because of the hammering and the roar of the flames. "TYSON!" **

** He turned, and his one enormous eye widened. His face broke into a crooked yellow grin. "Percy!" **

** He dropped the sword blade and ran at me, trying to give me a hug. The vision blurred and I instinctively lurched back. "Tyson, it's an Iris-message. I'm not really here." **

** "Oh." He came back into view, looking embarrassed. "Oh, I knew that. Yes." **

** "How are you?" I asked. "How's the job?" **

"He works there," Jason said.

"Cyclopes work for the gods. They make weapons and armor and other sutff. The work under the sea," Nico explained.

** His eye lit up. "Love the job! Look!" He picked up the hot sword blade with his bare hands. "I made this!" **

** "That's really cool." **

** "I wrote my name on it. Right there." **

"He sounds like a little kid," Leo noted.

"Well, he is little by Cyclops standards," Annabeth said.

"He is the nicest person," Grover added.

** "Awesome. Listen, do you talk to Dad much?" **

** Tyson's smile faded. "Not much. Daddy is busy. He is worried about the war." **

"There is already a war going on?" Jason asked.

"They sent a war to Poseidon first," Annabeth explained. "Separate him from the other gods."

"Is he that powerful?" I asked.

"Yes. So is Percy," Grover answered.

** "What do you mean?" **

** Tyson sighed. He stuck the sword blade out the window, where it made a cloud of boiling bubbles. When Tyson brought it back in, the metal was cool. "Old sea spirits making trouble. Aigaios. Oceanus. Those guys." **

"The Titans of the sea?" Jason asked.

They nodded.

** I sort of knew what he was talking about. He meant the immortals who ruled the oceans back in the days of the Titans. Before the Olympians took over. The fact that they were back now, with the Titan Lord Kronos and his allies gaining strength, was not good. **

** "Is there anything I can do?" I asked. **

** Tyson shook his head sadly. "We are arming the mermaids. They need a thousand more swords by tomorrow." He looked at his sword blade and sighed. "Old spirits are protecting the bad boat." **

** "The Princess Andromeda?" I said. "Luke's boat?" **

"The one you guys were on?" I asked.

"Same boat," Grover said.

** "Yes. They make it hard to find. Protect it from Daddy's storms. Otherwise he would smash it." **

** "Smashing it would be good."**

** Tyson perked up, as if he'd just had another thought. "Annabeth! Is she there?" **

Everyone winced at that.

** "Oh, well…" My heart felt like a bowling ball. Tyson thought Annabeth was just about the coolest thing since peanut butter (and he seriously loved peanut butter). I didn't have the heart to tell him she was missing. He'd start crying so bad he'd probably put out his fires. "Well, no… she's not here right now."**

"Thank you for caring Tyson and Percy," Annabeth mumbled almost to herself. She blinked hard.

** "Tell her hello!" He beamed. "Hello to Annabeth!" **

** "Okay." I fought back a lump in my throat. "I'll do that." **

** "And, Percy, don't worry about the bad boat. It is going away." **

** "What do you mean?" **

** "Panama Canal! Very far away." **

"What?" Jason and I asked. Leo wasn't paying attention at the moment as he was making a miniature fan out of scraps.

** I frowned. Why would Luke take his demon-infested cruise ship all the way down there? The last time we'd seen him, he'd been cruising along the East Coast, recruiting half-bloods and training his monstrous army. **

** "All right," I said, not feeling reassured. "That's… good. I guess." **

** In the forges, a deep voice bellowed something I couldn't make out. Tyson flinched. "Got to get back to work! Boss will get mad. Good luck, Brother!" **

"I wonder what the punishments are..." Leo said, looking up in thought.

** "Okay, tell Dad—" **

"Tell dad what?" I asked.

They shrugged.

**But before I could finish, the vision shimmered and faded. I was alone again in my cabin, feeling even lonelier than before. **

** I was pretty miserable at dinner that night. I mean, the food was excellent as usual. You can't go wrong with barbecue, pizza, and never-empty soda goblets. The torches and braziers kept the outdoor pavilion warm, but we all had to sit with our cabin mates, which meant I was alone at the Poseidon table. Thalia sat alone at the Zeus table, but we couldn't sit together. Camp rules. At least the Hephaestus, Ares, and Hermes cabins had a few people each. Nico sat with the Stoll brothers, since new campers always got stuck in the Hermes cabin if their Olympian parent was unknown. The Stoll brothers seemed to be trying to convince Nico that poker was a much better game than Mythomagic. I hoped Nico didn't have any money to lose. **

"I beat them!" Nico defended.

"You played poker with the Stolls?" Grover asked.

"Yeah, and I won!" Nico said proudly.

** The only table that really seemed to be having a good time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family. Zoe sat at the head like she was the mama. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair. I thought she looked a lot nicer when she smiled. Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time. She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from the big girl who'd picked a fight with the Ares kid on the basketball court. The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind. **

** When we'd finished eating, Chiron made the customary toast to the gods and formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis. The clapping was pretty halfhearted. Then he announced the "good will" capture-the-flag game for tomorrow night, which got a lot better reception.**

"Of course it would, it's the best part," Thalia smiled.

"Haven't played it yet," I said.

"Just wait, it'll be a blast," Grover said and Nico nodded.

** Afterward, we all trailed back to our cabins for an early, winter lights out. I was exhausted, which meant I fell asleep easily. That was the good part. The bad part was, I had a nightmare, and even by my standards it was a whopper. **

"Demigod dreams really suck!" Jason said.

"Percy rarely goes a day without a nightmare," Nico said.

"How do you know that?" Annabeth asked.

"I accidentally have shadow-traveled into his room at night and I always hear him talking mid-nightmare."

"That is weird," I said.

** Annabeth was on a dark hillside, shrouded in fog. It almost seemed like the Underworld, because I immediately felt claustrophobic and I couldn't see the sky above—just a close, heavy darkness, as if I were in a cave. **

** Annabeth struggled up the hill. Old broken Greek columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to ruins. **

"That was in California," Annabeth said.

"The new Titan HQ?" Jason asked.

"Yes."

** "Thorn!" Annabeth cried. "Where are you? Why did you bring me here?" She scrambled over a section of broken wall and came to the crest of the hill. **

** She gasped. There was Luke. And he was in pain. **

Jason opened his mouth, but Annabeth spoke before he could, "I'm not spoiling it for you."

Jason frowned.

**He was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily. His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat, **

** "Annabeth!" he called. "Help me! Please!" **

** She ran forward. **

** I tried to cry out: **_**He's a traitor! Don't trust him!**_

"I wish you had..." Annabeth murmered.

"That bad?" Thalia whispered.

"Worse."

I was getting really curious what was happening. Obviously Annabeth did not want to tell us.

** But my voice didn't work in the dream. **

** Annabeth had tears in her eyes. She reached down like she wanted to touch Luke's face, but at the last second she hesitated. **

** "What happened?" she asked. **

** "They left me here," Luke groaned. "Please. It's killing me." **

"What is?" Leo asked.

"Patience," Nico said, acting like a sensei, "Patience is key."

We all laughed at his attempt of acting like a sensei.

** I couldn't see what was wrong with him. He seemed to be struggling against some invisible curse, as though the fog were squeezing him to death. **

** "Why should I trust you?" Annabeth asked. Her voice was filled with hurt. **

** "You shouldn't," Luke said. "I've been terrible to you. But if you don't help me, I'll die." **_**Let him die, I wanted to scream**_**. Luke had tried to kill us in cold blood too many times. He didn't deserve anything from Annabeth. **

Annabeth's voice became pained, so Grover took the book and continued for her.

** Then the darkness above Luke began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling. Annabeth rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped. She held it somehow—tons of rock. She kept it from collapsing on her and Luke just with her own strength. It was impossible. She shouldn't have been able to do that. **

** Luke rolled free, gasping. "Thanks," he managed. **

** "Help me hold it," Annabeth groaned. **

** Luke caught his breath. His face was covered in grime and sweat. He rose unsteadily. **

** "I knew I could count on you." He began to walk away as the trembling blackness threatened to crush Annabeth. **

"What a di-" Leo started.

"LEO!" I scolded, hitting him. Thalia followed my example.

"He was a good person," Thalia defended. "He was corrupted by Kronos."

"Sorry..." Leo said in a very low voice.

** "HELP ME!" she pleaded, **

** "Oh, don't worry," Luke said. "Your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die." **

** The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Annabeth against the ground. **

** I sat bolt upright in bed, clawing at the sheets. There was no sound in my cabin except the gurgle of the saltwater spring. The clock on my nightstand read just after midnight. **

** Only a dream, but I was sure of two things: Annabeth was in terrible danger. And Luke was responsible. **

"That's the end," Grover said, "Who would like to read?"

Thalia raised her hand and Grover handed her the book.

"**An Old Dead Friend Comes To Visit**," Thalia read.

"Percy's chapter titles get better and better," Nico said.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I wanted to get you, the viewer's, opinion. Would you prefer if I uploaded over the course of the week or would you want me to upload multiple chapters at one time on a set day, most likely Saturday. Let me know what you prefer.**


	8. The Titan's Curse Ch6

Chapter 8: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Piper's POV**

"**An Old Dead Friend Comes To Visit**," Thalia started.

"Percy's title's just keep getting better and better," Nico laughed.

**The next morning after breakfast, I told Grover about my dream. We sat in the meadow watching the satyrs chase the wood nymphs through the snow. The nymphs had promised to kiss the satyrs if they got caught, but they hardly ever did. Usually the nymph would let the satyr get up a full head of steam, then she'd turn into a snow-covered tree and the poor satyr would slam into it headfirst and get a pile of snow dumped on him. **

"That, I would pay to see!" Leo laughed.

** When I told Grover my nightmare, he started twirling his finger in his shaggy leg fur. **

** "A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" he asked. **

** "Yeah. What the heck does that mean?" **

** Grover shook his head. "I don't know. But after what Zoe dreamed—" **

"How do you know what Zoe dreamed?" I asked.

"It'll come up," Grover assured me.

** "Whoa. What do you mean? Zoe had a dream like that?" **

** "I… I don't know, exactly. About three in the morning she came to the Big House and demanded to talk to Chiron. She looked really panicked." **

** "Wait, how do you know this?" **

"Yes, how do you know this?" Jason asked.

** Grover blushed. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin." **

** "What for?" **

** "Just to be, you know, near them." **

"Stalker," Nico hummed.

** "You're a stalker with hooves."**

"Oh no! I think like Percy!" Nico exclaimed.

"That could save you in a fight," Annabeth said.

** "I am not! Anyway, I followed her to the Big House and hid in a bush and watched the whole thing. She got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene." I tried to imagine that. Argus was the head of security for camp—a big blond dude with eyes all over his body. He rarely showed himself unless something serious was going on. I wouldn't want to place bets on a fight between him and Zoe Nightshade. **

"That would be a fun fight," Leo smirked.

"It wont be happening," Thalia said, sadly.

Leo opened his mouth, but I told him to just keep quiet.

** "What did she say?" I asked. **

** Grover grimaced. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout… I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her—" **

"Called her a what?" Jason asked.

"What is a boil-brained lout?" I asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Grover replied.

**"Whoa, wait. How could Artemis be in trouble?" **

** "I… well, finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and—" **

"Curlers?" I asked.

"I did not know about that," Annabeth smiled. It was nice to see her smiling instead of just looking depressed.

"I want to get a picture..." Leo said, smirking.

** "He wears curlers in his tail?" **

** Grover covered his mouth. **

** "Sorry," I said. "Go on." **

** "Well, Zoe said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoe that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said…" Grover gulped. "She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'" **

** "What do you mean lost? Like she needs directions?" **

"Yes, she needs directions," Nico said, "Honestly, how did this guy save the world?"

"'Cuz he knows how to fight, he just is not the brightest," Annabeth defended.

** "No. I think she meant gone. Taken. Kidnapped." **

** "Kidnapped?" I tried to get my mind around that idea. "How would you kidnap an immortal goddess? Is that even possible?" **

** "Well, yeah. I mean, it happened to Persephone." **

** "But she was like, the goddess of flowers." **

** Grover looked offended. "Springtime." **

** "Whatever. Artemis is a lot more powerful than that. Who could kidnap her? And why?" Grover shook his head miserably. "I don't know. Kronos?"**

"No way he is that powerful," Jason said, scratching his chin.

** "He can't be that powerful already. Can he?" **

** The last time we'd seen Kronos, he'd been in tiny pieces. Well… we hadn't actually seen him. Thousands of years ago, after the big Titan—God war, the gods had sliced him to bits with his own scythe and scattered his remains in Tartarus, which is like the gods' bottomless recycling bin for their enemies. Two summers ago, Kronos had tricked us to the very edge of the pit and almost pulled us in. Then last summer, on board Luke's demon cruise ship, we'd seen a golden coffin, where Luke claimed he was summoning the Titan Lord out of the abyss, bit by bit, every time someone new joined their cause. Kronos could influence people with dreams and trick them, but I didn't see how he could physically overcome Artemis if he was still like a pile of evil bark mulch. **

"What?" Leo asked.

Annabeth sighed, "Kronos was being reborn in a coffin. Piece by piece, he was becoming powerful, but it had been only one year, so he couldn't have been powerful enough... yet."

"What do you mean 'yet'?" Jason asked.

"It's in the book, most likely," Grover said.

** "I don't know," Grover said. "I think somebody would know if Kronos had re-formed. The gods would be more nervous. But still, it's weird, you having a nightmare the same night as Zoe. It's almost like—" **

** "They're connected," I said. **

** Over in the frozen meadow, a satyr skidded on his hooves as he chased after a redheaded tree nymph. She giggled and held out her arms as he ran toward her. Pop! She turned into a Scotch pine and he kissed the trunk at top speed. **

** "Ah, love," Grover said dreamily. **

** I thought about Zoe's nightmare, which she'd had only a few hours after mine. **

** "I've got to talk to Zoe," I said. **

"She wont like that," I said. I figured that since the Hunters don't like boys, they wont like to talk to them either.

"You're right, good thing he didn't," Thalia told me.

** "Um, before you do…" Grover took something out of his coat pocket. It was a threefold display like a travel brochure. "You remember what you said—about how it was weird the Hunters just happened to show up at Westover Hall? I think they might've been scouting us." "Scouting us? What do you mean?" **

** He gave me the brochure. It was about the Hunters of Artemis. The front read, A WISE CHOICE FOR YOUR FUTURE! Inside were pictures of young maidens doing hunter stuff, chasing monsters, shooting bows. There were captions like: HEALTH BENEFITS: IMMORTALITY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU! and A BOY-FREE TOMORROW! **

"Has it changed since then?" I asked, remembering the card Thalia had given me.

"I changed it to smaller cards so we could hand them to girls easier," Thalia answered.

"Great source of food," Grover added.

** "I found that in Annabeth's backpack," Grover said. **

** I stared at him. "I don't understand." "Well, it seems to me… maybe Annabeth was thinking about joining."**

"But you didn't?" Jason finished.

Annabeth shook her head, "Percy convinced me not to."

** I'd like to say I took the news well. **

** The truth was, I wanted to strangle the Hunters of Artemis one eternal maiden at a time. The rest of the day I tried to keep busy, but I was worried sick about Annabeth. I went to javelin-throwing class, but the Ares camper in charge chewed me out after I got distracted and threw the javelin at the target before he got out of the way. I apologized for the hole in his pants, but he still sent me packing. **

** I visited the pegasus stables, but Silena Beauregard-**

The others except Jason and Leo winced at the mention of my half-sister. I remembered what Drew and my other cabin mates said about her. Drew said bad stuff, the others said she was a hero.

** -from the Aphrodite cabin was having an argument with one of the Hunters, and I decided I'd better not get involved. **

** After that, I sat in the empty chariot stands and sulked. Down at the archery fields, Chiron was conducting target practice. I knew he'd be the best person to talk to. Maybe he could give me some advice, but something held me back. I had a feeling Chiron would try to protect me, like he always did. He might not tell me everything he knew. **

** I looked the other direction. At the top of Half-Blood Hill, Mr. D and Argus were feeding the baby dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece. **

"And now he is fully grown?" I asked.

"Nope, he still has some more growing left," Annabeth said, but she didn't sound too good. Thalia squeezed her had and whispered something to her. Most likely, she said "It'll be okay."

**Then it occurred to me: no one would be in the Big House. There was someone else… **_**something**_** else I could ask for guidance. **

** My blood was humming in my ears as I ran into the house and took the stairs. I'd only done this once before, and I still had nightmares about it. I opened the trap door and stepped into the attic. **

"Why the attic?" Jason asked.

The others looked nervous.

"You'll see," Grover said.

** The room was dark and dusty and cluttered with junk, just like I remembered. There were shields with monster bites out of them, and swords bent in the shapes of daemon heads, and a bunch of taxidermy, like a stuffed harpy and a bright orange python. **

** Over by the window, sitting on a three-legged stool, was the shriveled-up mummy of an old lady in a tie-dyed hippie dress. The Oracle. **

"You mean the Oracle before Rachel?" I asked.

"The old mummy? Yes," Annabeth said.

** I made myself walk toward her. I waited for green mist to billow from the mummy's mouth, like it had before, but nothing happened. **

** "Hi," I said. "Uh, what's up?" **

"Way to break the ice," Nico laughed.

"You should do that next time you talk with the dead," Leo laughed.

"I think I'll do that!" Nico replied.

** I winced at how stupid that sounded. Not much could be "up" when you're dead and stuck in the attic. But I knew the spirit of the Oracle was in there somewhere. I could feel a cold presence in the room, like a coiled sleeping snake. **

** "I have a question," I said a little louder. "I need to know about Annabeth. How can I save her?" **

Annabeth smiled at his question. "It's nice to know he cared so much."

"He still does," Grover said to her.

** No answer. The sun slanted through the dirty attic window, lighting the dust motes dancing in the air. **

** I waited longer. **

** Then I got angry. I was being stonewalled by a corpse. **

** "All right," I said. "Fine. I'll figure it out myself." **

"Good luck," Nico said. He then was hit on the head by Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth. "Ow! What was that for?" he demanded.

"You do realize that his girlfriend is right here, worried out of her mind for him, don't you?" Thalia asked.

"Sorry, Annabeth," Nico mumbled.

** I turned and bumped into a big table full of souvenirs. It seemed more cluttered than the last time I was here. Heroes stored all kinds of stuff in the attic: quest trophies they no longer wanted to keep in their cabins, or stuff that held painful memories. I knew Luke had stored a dragon claw somewhere up here—the one that had scarred his face.**

** There was a broken sword hilt labeled: **_**This broke and Leroy got killed. 1999**_**. **

"Who's-" Leo started.

"That was before us," Grover said.

** Then I noticed a pink silk scarf with a label attached to it. I picked up the tag and tried to read it: **

** SCARF OF THE GODDESS APHRODITE **

** RECOVERED AT WATERLAND, DENVER, CO., **

** BY ANNABETH CHASE AND PERCY JACKSON **

"You recovered my mom's scarf and didn't return it?" I asked Annabeth.

"Yeah," she smiled.

** I stared at the scarf. I'd totally forgotten about it. Two years ago, Annabeth had ripped this scarf out of my hands and said something like, **_**Oh, no. No love magic for you**_**! **

"So that's what that was about!" Grover exclaimed, hitting his forehead with his hand.

** I'd just assumed she'd thrown it away. And yet here it was. She'd kept it all this time? And why had she stashed it in the attic? **

"Because that's where the memories go," Annabeth sighed.

** I turned to the mummy. She hadn't moved, but the shadows across her face made it look like she was smiling gruesomely. **

** I dropped the scarf and tried not to run toward the exit. **

Annabeth looked really close to tears now. I stood and walked to sit by her. None of the others protested at my actions.

** That night after dinner, I was seriously ready to beat the Hunters at capture the flag. It was going to be a small game: only thirteen Hunters, including Bianca di Angelo, and about the same number of campers.**

"There's a lot more of both now," Thalia noted.

"That's thanks to you and Percy," Grover said, patting her on the back.

** Zoe Nightshade looked pretty upset. She kept glancing resentfully at Chiron, like she couldn't believe he was making her do this. The other Hunters didn't look too happy, either. Unlike last night, they weren't laughing or joking around. They just huddled together in the dining pavilion, whispering nervously to each other as they strapped on their armor. Some of them even looked like they'd been crying. I guess Zoe had told them about her nightmare. **

** On our team, we had Beckendorf and two other Hephaestus guys, a few from the Ares cabin (though it still seemed strange that Clarisse wasn't around), the Stoll brothers and Nico from Hermes cabin, and a few Aphrodite kids. It was weird that the Aphrodite cabin wanted to play. Usually they sat on the sidelines, chatted, and checked their reflections in the river and stuff, but when they heard we were fighting the Hunters, they were raring to go. **

** "I'll show them 'love is worthless,'" Silena Beauregard grumbled as she strapped on her armor. "I'll pulverize them!" **

"Sounds just like Piper!" Leo joked.

"It really does," I said. I had a lot in common with Silena.

** That left Thalia and me. **

** "I'll take the offense," Thalia volunteered. "You take defense." **

** "Oh." I hesitated, because I'd been about to say the exact same thing, only reversed. "Don't you think with your shield and all, you'd be better defense?" **

"That's true, Thalia," Annabeth said.

"I thought it would be better as a way to scare the defense," Thalia defended.

** Thalia already had Aegis on her arm, and even our own teammates were giving her a wide berth, trying not to cower before the bronze head of Medusa. **

"Medusa, not my favorite memory," Grover shuddered. I remember them saying they fought Medusa when they were on their first quest. I wondered how bad it was.

**"Well, I was thinking it would make better offense," Thalia said. "Besides, you've had more practice at defense." **

** I wasn't sure if she was teasing me. I'd had some pretty bad experiences with defense on capture the flag. My first year, Annabeth had put me out as a kind of bait, and I'd almost been gored to death with spears and killed by a hellhound. **

"That bad, huh?" Jason asked.

"Very bad, but he was claimed right after," Grover explained.

** "Yeah, no problem," I lied. **

** "Cool." Thalia turned to help some of the Aphrodite kids, who were having trouble suiting up their armor without breaking their nails. Nico di Angelo ran up to me with a big grin on his face. **

"I miss little kid Nico," Thalia joked.

"That Nico is replaced with me," Nico mumbled.

** "Percy, this is awesome!" His blue-feathered bronze helmet was falling in his eyes, and his breastplate was about six sizes too big. I wondered if there was any way I'd looked that ridiculous when I'd first arrived. Unfortunately, I probably had. **

"Did I really look that bad?" Nico asked.

"I think it was worse from my view," Thalia said.

** Nico lifted his sword with effort. "Do we get to kill the other team?" **

** "Well… no." **

** "But the Hunters are immortal, right?" **

** "That's only if they don't fall in battle. Besides—" **

"Percy actually knew something about the Hunters?" Thalia asked.

"He listens, but doesn't use his common sense," Annabeth stated. She started to smile a little more, so I assume she is starting to feel better.

** "It would be awesome if we just, like, resurrected as soon as we were killed, so we could keep fighting, and—" **

"Nico is already talking about death," Grover noted.

** "Nico, this is serious. Real swords. These can hurt." **

** He stared at me, a little disappointed, and I realized that I'd just sounded like my mother. Whoa. Not a good sign. **

"It's a good sign because your mom is awesome!" Nico exclaimed.

"You've met her?" I asked.

"She is the coolest mom, ever," Thalia said to me.

I thought about what she could be like. "I assume it will be in the books?"

"Probably," Annabeth answered, smiling.

** I patted Nico on the shoulder. "Hey, it's cool. Just follow the team. Stay out of Zoe's way. We'll have a blast." **

** Chiron's hoof thundered on the pavilion floor. **

** "Heroes!" he called. "You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team— Camp Half-Blood—shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis—red team—shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!" **

** "Sweet," Nico whispered next to me. "What kind of magic items? Do I get one?" **

"Sounds just like Percy," Annabeth said.

"He didn't always have his sword?" Leo asked.

"He got it right before our quest," Grover explained.

** I was about to break it to him that he didn't, when Thalia said, "Blue team! Follow me!" They cheered and followed. I had to run to catch up, and tripped over somebody's shield, so I didn't look much like a co-captain. More like an idiot. **

"Your an idiot, but your _my_ idiot," Annabeth smile grew even larger.

** We set our flag at the top of Zeus's Fist. It's this cluster of boulders in the middle of the west woods that, if you look at it just the right way, looks like a huge fist sticking out of the ground. If you look at it from any other side, it looks like a pile of enormous deer droppings, but Chiron wouldn't let us call the place the Poop Pile, especially after it had been named for Zeus, who doesn't have much of a sense of humor. **

"No, Zeus tends to lose his temper a lot," Nico laughed.

Thunder was heard over-head.

"Sorry, dad, but it's true!" Thalia shouted. More thunder.

** Anyway, it was a good place to set the flag. The top boulder was twenty feet tall and really hard to climb, so the flag was clearly visible, like the rules said it had to be, and it didn't matter that the guards weren't allowed to stand within ten yards of it. **

** I set Nico on guard duty with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers, figuring he'd be safely out of the way. **

** "We'll send out a decoy to the left," Thalia told the team. "Silena, you lead that." **

** "Got it!" **

** "Take Laurel and Jason."**

"Jason?" I asked.

"Different one, son of Hermes," Thalia said.

** "They're good runners. Make a wide arc around the Hunters, attract as many as you can. I'll take the main raiding party around to the right and catch them by surprise." **

** Everybody nodded. It sounded good, and Thalia said it with such confidence you couldn't help but believe it would work. **

** Thalia looked at me. "Anything to add, Percy?" **

** "Um, yeah. Keep sharp on defense. We've got four guards, two scouts. That's not much for a big forest. I'll be roving. Yell if you need help." **

"That is a great speech," Leo laughed.

"Not like you could do better," I told him.

"Probably not," he admitted.

** "And don't leave your post!" Thalia said. **

** "Unless you see a golden opportunity," I added. **

** Thalia scowled. "Just don't leave your post." **

** "Right, unless—" **

"That was so annoying," Thalia grumbled.

"Percy is always annoying," Grover said.

"He annoys everyone except a special girl," Thalia smirked and looked at Annabeth.

She blushed and looked away, "He annoys me sometimes, too. Not just you guys."

** "Percy!" She touched my arm and shocked me. I mean, everybody can give static shocks in the winter, but when Thalia does, it hurts. I guess it's because her dad is the god of lightning. She's been known to fry off people's eyebrows. **

"That was only once!" Thalia protested.

"I want to hear that story!" Leo laughed.

"I can give a demonstration, if you want," Thalia told him.

"No, thank you," Leo said, his face became pale.

** "Sorry," Thalia said, though she didn't sound particularly sorry. "Now, is everybody clear?" **

** Everybody nodded. We broke into our smaller groups. The horn sounded, and the game began. **

** Silena's group disappeared into the woods on the left. Thalia's group gave it a few seconds, then darted off toward the right. **

** I waited for something to happen. I climbed Zeus's Fist and had a good view over the forest. I remembered how the Hunters had stormed out of the woods when they fought the manticore, and I was prepared for something like that—one huge charge that could overwhelm us. But nothing happened. **

** I caught a glimpse of Silena and her two scouts. They ran through a clearing, followed by five of the Hunters, leading them deep into the woods and away from Thalia. The plan seemed to be working. Then I spotted another clump of Hunters heading to the right, bows ready. They must've spotted Thalia. **

"They actually didn't," Thalia said. "They spotted a decoy group."

"Good plan," Annabeth said to her.

** "What's happening?" Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to me. My mind was racing. **

** Thalia would never get through, but the Hunters were divided. With that many on either flank, their center had to be wide open. If I moved fast… **

** I looked at Beckendorf. "Can you guys hold the fort?" **

** Beckendorf snorted. "Of course." **

** "I'm going in." **

"And this is when things go wrong," Thalia mumbled.

"No one gets hurt, right?" Annabeth asked.

"No."

** The Stoll brothers and Nico cheered as I raced toward the boundary line. I was running at top speed and I felt great. I leaped over the creek into enemy territory. I could see their silver flag up ahead, only one guard, who wasn't even looking in my direction. I heard fighting to my left and right, somewhere in the woods. I had it made. **

** The guard turned at the last minute. It was Bianca di Angelo. Her eyes widened as I slammed into her and she went sprawling in the snow. **

** "Sorry!" I yelled. I ripped down the silver silk flag from the tree and took off. **

"At least he was sorry," Nico mumbled.

** I was ten yards away before Bianca managed to yell for help. I thought I was home free. **_**ZIP**_**. A silvery cord raced across my ankles and fastened to the tree next to me. A trip wire, fired from a bow! Before I could even think about stopping, I went down hard, sprawling in the snow. **

** "Percy!" Thalia yelled, off to my left. "What are you **_**doing**_**?" **

"I was right there," Thalia mumbled.

** Before she reached me, an arrow exploded at her feet and a cloud of yellow smoke billowed around her team. They started coughing and gagging. I could smell the gas from across the woods—the horrible smell of sulfur. **

** "No fair!" Thalia gasped. "Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!" **

"I'm am _so_ making those!" Leo grinned at the thought.

Leo and fart arrows were not something I wanted to be in range of. "No, Leo. That could be bad," I said.

"Exactly."

**I got up and started running again. Only a few more yards to the creek and I had the game. More arrows whizzed past my ears. A Hunter came out of nowhere and slashed at me with her knife, but I parried and kept running. **

** I heard yelling from our side of the creek. Beckendorf and Nico were running toward me. I thought they were coming to welcome me back, but then I saw they were chasing someone—Zoe Nightshade, racing toward me like a cheetah, dodging campers with no trouble. And she had our flag in her hands. **

** "No!" I yelled, and poured on the speed. **

** I was two feet from the water when Zoe bolted across to her own side, slamming into me for good measure. The Hunters cheered as both sides converged on the creek. Chiron appeared out of the woods, looking grim. He had the Stoll brothers on his back, and it looked as if both of them had taken some nasty whacks to the head. Connor Stoll had two arrows sticking out of his helmet like antennae. **

"That sounds funny," Leo laughed.

** "The Hunters win!" Chiron announced without pleasure. Then he muttered, "For the fifty-sixth time in a row." **

"That many times!" Jason said.

_Those Hunters must be really good_, I thought.

** "Perseus Jackson!" Thalia yelled, storming toward me. She smelled like rotten eggs, and she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up because of Aegis. It took all my willpower not to cower. **

** "What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" she bellowed. **

"Is this the time.." Annabeth started. Thalia nodded. "Oh."

** I balled my fists. I'd had enough bad stuff happen to me for one day. I didn't need this. "I got the flag, Thalia!" I shook it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!" **

** "I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" Thalia yelled. "But the flag was gone. If you hadn't butted in, we would've won." **

"I don't think you would have," Grover told her.

"I know," she sighed.

** "You had too many on you!" **

** "Oh, so it's my fault?" **

** "I didn't say that." **

** "Argh!" Thalia pushed me, and a shock went through my body that blew me backward ten feet into the water. Some of the campers gasped. A couple of the Hunters stifled laughs.**

** "Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—" **

"I really didn't mean to," Thalia muttered,

** Anger roared in my ears. A wave erupted from the creek, blasting into Thalia's face and dousing her from head to toe. **

"That is really cool," Leo noted.

"Water powers are very cool," I agreed. Percy is pretty powerful, if not more powerful than Jason.

** I stood up. "Yeah," I growled. "I didn't mean to, either." **

** Thalia was breathing heavily. **

"That is what happens when you get doused with that much water," Thalia sighed. She obviously didn't want to be reading this part.

**"Enough!" Chiron ordered. **

** But Thalia held out her spear. "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"**

** Somehow, it was okay when Annabeth called me that—at least, I'd gotten used to it— but hearing it from Thalia was not cool. **

"Which is why I call him Kelp Head," Thalia smiled.

** "Bring it on, Pinecone Face!" **

"And there is his nickname for me."

** I raised Riptide, but before I could even defend myself, Thalia yelled, and a blast of lightning came down from the sky, hit her spear like a lightning rod, and slammed into my chest. I sat down hard. There was a burning smell; I had a feeling it was my clothes. **

** "Thalia!" Chiron said. "That is enough!" **

"You guys really should have listened to Chiron," Annabeth said.

"We were angry, couldn't think straight," Thalia shrugged.

"And you could have destroyed the entire forest," Grover added, a little annoyed.

"But we didn't."

** I got to my feet and willed the entire creek to rise. It swirled up, hundreds of gallons of water in a massive icy funnel cloud.**

"That would be terrifying," I said.

"You have no idea," Thalia and Nico said.

** "Percy!" Chiron pleaded. **

** I was about to hurl it at Thalia when I saw something in the woods. I lost my anger and my concentration all at once. The water splashed back into the creekbed. Thalia was so surprised she turned to see what I was looking at.**

** Someone… something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped. **

** "This is impossible," Chiron said. I'd never heard him sound so nervous. "It… she has never left the attic. Never." **

"The Oracle?" Jason asked. "I thought she was a mummy."

"She was, but that was a very weird day," Grover said.

** And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around our feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green. **

** None of us dared move. Then her voice hissed inside my head. Apparently everyone could hear it, because several clutched their hands over the ears. **

_**I am the sprit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python**_**. **

"Does she always say that?" I asked.

"Rachel doesn't, but that one did," Annabeth answered.

** The Oracle regarded me with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward Zoe Nightshade. **_**Approach, Seeker, and ask**_**. **

** Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?" **

** The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. I saw the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke: **

_**Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,**_

_**One shall be lost in the land without rain,**_

_**The bane of Olympus shows the trail,**_

_**Campers and Hunters combined prevail,**_

_**The Titan's curse must on withstand,**_

_**And one shall perish by parent's hand**_

"That sounds really bad," I noted.

"It wasn't a fun quest," Grover and Thalia nodded.

**Then, as we were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years. **

"Probably would," Nico muttered.

"That's the end of the chapter," Thalia said, "Who wants to read next?"

"I'll read," I said.

Thalia handed me the book.

"**Everybody Hates be But The Horse**," I read.

* * *

><p><strong>I was thinking about adding Percy in to this story either during the Mt. St. Helens chapter in <em>The Battle of the Labyrinth<em> or in the beginning of _The Last Olympian_. Tell me what your thoughts on that are.**


	9. The Titan's Curse Ch7

Chapter 9: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Annabeth's POV**

"**Everybody Hates Me But The Horse**," Piper began.

"What?" Jason asked.

"I don't think anyone hated him..." Grover said.

**The least the Oracle could've done was walk back to the attic by herself. **

** Instead, Grover and I were elected to carry her. I didn't figure that was because we were the most popular. **

"She was heavy," Grover complained.

"She's a mummy, how heavy are they?" Leo asked.

"Not important," I quick;y said.

** "Watch her head!" Grover warned as we went up the stairs. But it was too late. **

_**Bonk**_**! I whacked her mummified face against the trapdoor frame and dust flew. **

** "Ah, man." I set her down and checked for damage. "Did I break anything?" **

** "I can't tell," Grover admitted. **

"Was that why her head had a mark on it?" Thalia asked.

"Maybe, it's hard to tell with dead things," Grover shrugged.

** We hauled her up and set her on her tripod stool, both of us huffing and sweating. Who knew a mummy could weigh so much? **

** I assumed she wouldn't talk to me, and I was right. I was relieved when we finally got out of there and slammed the attic door shut. **

** "Well," Grover said, "that was gross." **

"That just about sums it up," Nico said.

** I knew he was trying to keep things light for my sake, but I still felt really down. The whole camp would be mad at me for losing the game to the Hunters, and then there was the new prophecy from the Oracle. It was like the spirit of Delphi had gone out of her way to exclude me. She'd ignored my question and walked half a mile to talk to Zoe. And she'd said nothing, not even a hint, about Annabeth. **

_It's really nice that he cares so much_, I thought. _And it's exactly how I feel right now_.

** "What will Chiron do?" I asked Grover. **

** "I wish I knew." He looked wistfully out the second-floor window at the rolling hills covered in snow. "I want to be out there." **

** "Searching for Annabeth?" **

** He had a little trouble focusing on me. Then he blushed. "Oh, right. That too. Of course."**

"Grover, that hurt," I joked, putting my hand on my heart.

"Sorry, many things on my mind at the time," Grover defended.

** "Why?" I asked. "What were you thinking?" **

** He clopped his hooves uneasily. "Just something the manticore said, about the Great Stirring. I can't help but wonder… if all those ancient powers are waking up, maybe… maybe not all of them are evil." **

"Pan?" I asked.

He nodded.

"You mean the god Pan?" Jason asked. "Didn't he die?"

"Jason, please stop talking," I said, looking at Grover who became sad about the mention of Pan's death.

**"You mean Pan." **

** I felt kind of selfish, because I'd totally forgotten about Grover's life ambition. The nature god had gone missing two thousand years ago. He was rumored to have died, but the satyrs didn't believe that. They were determined to find him. They'd been searching in vain for centuries, and Grover was convinced he'd be the one to succeed. This year, with Chiron putting all the satyrs on emergency duty to find half-bloods, Grover hadn't been able to continue his search. It must've been driving him nuts. **

** "I've let the trail go cold," he said. "I feel restless, like I'm missing something really important. He's out there somewhere. I can just feel it." **

** I didn't know what to say. I wanted to encourage him, but I didn't know how. My optimism had pretty much been trampled into the snow out there in the woods, along with our capture-the-flag hopes. **

"Your optimism is always low," Thalia joked.

"But not as low as Nico's," I added.

** Before I could respond, Thalia tromped up the stairs. She was officially not talking to me now, but she looked at Grover and said, "Tell Percy to get his butt downstairs." **

"Rude," I said.

Thalia shrugged. "I was angry at him."

"I'm always angry, but I'm never rude," I countered.

"You're also his crush and girlfriend," Thalia pointed out.

"No comment," I said, blushing.

** "Why?" I asked. **

** "Did he say something?" Thalia asked Grover. **

** "Um, he asked why." **

** "Dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy," she said. "Unfortunately, that includes Percy." **

** The council was held around a Ping-Pong table in the rec room. Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. Then Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of us were underage. Mr. D sighed. With a snap of his fingers the wine turned to Diet Coke. Nobody drank that either. **

"I ate the cans," Grover said.

"Is that good for your health?" Thalia asked.

"It is if you're a satyr. We have good stomachs."

** Mr. D and Chiron (in wheelchair form) sat at one end of the table. Zoe and Bianca di Angelo (who had kind of become Zoe's personal assistant) took the other end. Thalia and Grover and I sat along the right, and the other head councilors—Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and the Stoll brothers—sat on the left. The Ares kids were supposed to send a representative, too, but all of them had gotten broken limbs (accidentally) during capture the flag, courtesy of the Hunters. They were resting up in the infirmary. **

** Zoe started the meeting off on a positive note. "This is pointless." **

"That's pretty positive," Leo said.

** "Cheez Whiz!" Grover gasped. He began scooping up crackers and Ping-Pong balls and spraying them with topping. **

We all laughed.

"Honestly, Goat Boy, when are you not thinking of food?" Thalia asked between laughs.

"Food is amazing!" Grover protested.

** "There is no time for talk," Zoe continued. "Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately." **

** "And go where?" Chiron asked. **

** "West!" Bianca said. I was amazed at how different she looked after just a few days with the Hunters. Her dark hair was braided like Zoe's now, so you could actually see her face. She had a splash of freckles across her nose, and her dark eyes vaguely reminded me of someone famous, but I couldn't think who. She looked like she'd been working out, and her skin glowed faintly, like the other Hunters, as if she'd been taking showers in liquid moonlight. "You heard the prophecy. **_**Five shall go west to the goddess in chains**_**. We can get five hunters and go." **

"But it says campers and hunters," Jason said.

"We know," Thalia and I replied.

** "Yes," Zoe agreed. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her." "You're missing something, as usual," Thalia said. "**_**Campers and Hunters combined prevail**_**. We're supposed to do this together." **

** "No!" Zoe said. "The Hunters do not need thy help." **

"Why does she talk so old?" Leo asked.

"She was alive for a while," Thalia answered.

** "Your" Thalia grumbled. "Nobody has said **_**thy**_** in, like, three hundred years, Zoe. Get with the times." **

** Zoe hesitated, like she was trying to form the word correctly. " **_**Yerrr**_**. We do not need **_**yerrr**_** help." **

"She sounds like a redneck!" Nico laughed.

"That''s mean," Piper told him.

** Thalia rolled her eyes. "Forget it." **

** "I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron said. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate." "**

** "Or do they?" Mr. D mused, swirling his Diet Coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "**_**One shall be lost**_**.**_** One shall perish**_**. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail **_**because**_** you try to cooperate?" **

"Is he really on your side?" Jason asked.

"Hard to tell," I answered, "He often hates us, but loves Olympus.

** "Mr. D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?" **

** Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful." **

** "We're supposed to work together," Thalia said stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoe, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?" **

"Yeah, never a good idea," I said.

** Zoe grimaced, but I could tell Thalia had scored a point. **

** "We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice." **

** "Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting." **

** "Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoe said. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations." **

"Are things really that bad?" Jason asked.

"No there just peachy," Nico said sarcastically.

"There are much worse," I answered Jason, glaring at Nico.

**"Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked. **

** "Yes, Lord Dionysus." **

** Mr. D nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on." **

"Do the gods argue a lot?" Leo asked.

I thought about all the things I heard over the years. "Yes," I answered.

"Isn't that a bad thing?" Jason asked.

"Yep," Grover replied.

** "I must agree with Zoe," said Chiron. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest." **

** "Three and two," I said. **

** Everybody looked at me. Thalia even forgot to ignore me. **

"That's a surprise. Percy coming up with a good idea? Never heard of it," I joked.

They laughed.

** "We're supposed to have five," I said, feeling self-conscious. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair." **

** Thalia and Zoe exchanged looks. **

** "Well," Thalia said. "It does make sense." **

** Zoe grunted. "I would prefer to take **_**all**_** the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers." "You'll be retracing the goddess's path," Chiron reminded her. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: **_**The bane of Olympus shows the trail**_**. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best." **

"Is that a good idea?" Leo asked. "I mean, wouldn't having more be better?"

"Not always. There is a very big reason three normally go on a quest," I replied.

** Zoe picked up a Ping-Pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. "This monster—the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."**

** Everybody looked at Dionysus, I guess because he was the only god present and gods are supposed to know things. He was flipping through a wine magazine, but when everyone got silent he glanced up, "Well, don't look at me. I'm a **_**young**_** god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation." **

"Yes, because knowing a monster that could end the world comes up a lot at parties," Nico snickered.

"I don't know about you, but I just had a funny conversation with a guy about a dangerous monster that will end the world. It was awesome!" Leo joked.

** "Chiron," I said, "you don't have any ideas about the monster?" **

** Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful." **

"Very elusive," Thalia mumbled.

"Except Percy knew," Grover whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"What?" I hissed.

"It's show up, I'm sure."

** "That's some serious danger you're facing," Connor Stoll said. (I liked how he said you and not we.) "It sounds like at least two of the five are going to die." **

"Because Conner is not in our group," Thalia said.

"They would have looted the dam snack bar," Grover said.

Thalia and Grover started cracking up, but the rest of us were clueless.

"Inside joke," Thalia explained.

"Some joke," Jason said.

**"**_**One shall be lost in the land without rain**_**" Beckendorf said. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert." **

** There was a muttering of agreement. **

** "And **_**the Titan's curse must one withstand**_**," Silena said. "What could that mean?" **

** I saw Chiron and Zoe exchange a nervous look, but whatever they were thinking, they didn't share it. **

** "**_**One shall perish by a parent's hand**_**," Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. "How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?" **

** There was heavy silence around the table. **

** I glanced at Thalia and wondered if she was thinking the same thing I was. **

"Sadly, I was," Thalia muttered.

** Years ago, Chiron had had a prophecy about the next child of the Big Three—Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades—who turned sixteen. Supposedly, that kid would make a decision that would save or destroy the gods forever. Because of that, the Big Three had taken an oath after World War II not to have any more kids. But Thalia and I had been born anyway, and now we were both getting close to sixteen. **

** I remembered a conversation I'd had last year with Annabeth. I'd asked her, if I was so potentially dangerous, why the gods didn't just kill me. **

_**Some of the gods would like to kill you**_**, she'd said. **_**But they're afraid of offending Poseidon**_**. Could an Olympian parent turn against his half-blood child? Would it sometimes be easier just to let them die? If there were ever any half-bloods who needed to worry about that, it was Thalia and me. I wondered if maybe I should've sent Poseidon that seashell pattern tie for Father's Day after all. **

"I'm sure he would have loved that!" Nico laughed.

"Seaweed Brain," I mumbled, rolling my eyes.

** "There will be deaths," Chiron decided. "That much we know." **

** "Oh, goody!" Dionysus said. **

"Someone's happy," Piper noted.

** Everyone looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of Wine Connoisseur magazine. "Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me." **

** "Percy is right," Silena Beauregard said. "Two campers should go." **

** "Oh, I see," Zoe said sarcastically. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?" **

"I'm guessing the hunters don't like Aphrodite children?" Piper asked.

"They don't like anything to do with love," Thalia shrugged.

** Silena blushed. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me!" **

** "A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at," Zoe scoffed. "What would thy mother say?" **

"She sounds a lot like Piper," Jason said. Then he realized what he said. "Oh not in a bad way. I mean, Piper is awesome and-"

"You made your point," Piper said kissing him.

** Silena started to get out of her chair, but the Stoll brothers pulled her back. **

** "Stop it," Beckendorf said. He was a big guy with a bigger voice. He didn't talk much, but when he did, people tended to listen. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three of you will go?" Zoe stood. "I shall go, of course, and I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker." **

** "The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis Stoll asked cautiously. **

** Zoe nodded. **

** "The one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor added.**

** "Yes," Zoe snapped. "Why?" **

** "Oh, nothing," Travis said. "Just that we have a T-shirt for her from the camp store." He held up a big silver T-shirt that said ARTEMIS THE MOON GODDESS, FALL HUNTING TOUR 2002, with a huge list of national parks and stuff underneath. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?" **

"They are up to something..." I muttered. Thalia nodded.

"That wasn't nice of them," Thalia added.

"What was?" Piper and Jason asked.

"It comes up later," Thalia waved it off.

** I knew the Stolls were up to something. They always were. But I guess Zoe didn't know them as well as I did. She just sighed and took the T-shirt. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go." **

** Bianca looked stunned. "Me? But… I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good." **

** "You will do fine," Zoe insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself." **

"Yeah," Nico grumbled, "She'll do just fine."

** Bianca closed her mouth. I felt kind of sorry for her. I remembered my first quest when I was twelve. I had felt totally unprepared. A little honored, maybe, but a lot resentful and plenty scared. I figured the same things were running around in Bianca's head right now. **

** "And for campers?" Chiron asked. His eyes met mine, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking. **

** "Me!" Grover stood up so fast he bumped the Ping-Pong table. He brushed cracker crumbs and Ping-Pong ball scraps off his lap. "Anything to help Artemis!" **

"Grover, you are so desperate," Leo shook his head.

Grover looked hurt, "She _is_ a goddess. They are important."

** Zoe wrinkled her nose. "I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood." **

** "But he **_**is**_** a camper," Thalia said. "And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?" **

** "Absolutely!" **

** Zoe wavered. I didn't know what a tracker's song was, but apparently Zoe thought it was a good thing. **

"A very good thing what tracking something," Grover added.

** "Very well," Zoe said. "And the second camper?" **

** "I'll go." Thalia stood and looked around, daring anyone to question her. **

"And here comes Kelp Head," Thalia smirked, shaking her head.

**Now, okay, maybe my math skills weren't the best-**

"You can say that again," I laughed.

** -, but it suddenly occurred to me that we'd reached the number five, and I wasn't in the group. "Whoa, wait a sec," I said. "I want to go too." **

** Thalia said nothing. Chiron was still studying me, his eyes sad. **

** "Oh," Grover said, suddenly aware of the problem. "Whoa, yeah, I forgot! Percy has to go. I didn't mean… I'll stay. Percy should go in my place." **

** "He cannot," Zoe said. "He is a boy. I won't have Hunters traveling with a boy." **

"But they traveled with him and the others from the school," Leo frowned.

"That was an emergency," Thalia told him.

** "You traveled here with me," I reminded her. **

** "That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy." **

"Grover is a boy, goat, thing," Leo said.

"Zoe explains why, but I really don't understand," Grover told him.

** "What about Grover?" I demanded. **

** Zoe shook her head. "He does not count. He's a satyr. He is not technically a boy." **

"Still hurts," Grover said with a frown.

** "Hey!" Grover protested. **

** "I have to go," I said. "I need to be on this quest." **

** "Why?" Zoe asked. "Because of thy friend Annabeth?" **

** I felt myself blushing. I hated that everyone was looking at me."No! I mean, partly. I just feel like I'm supposed to go!" **

"He knew he liked you from the start," Thalia grinned.

"We all knew you two liked each other," Grover added.

"Percy was oblivious and you were in denial."

"Shut up!" I demanded, my face bright red.

** Nobody rose to my defense. Mr. D looked bored, still reading his magazine. Silena, the Stoll brothers, and Beckendorf were staring at the table. Bianca gave me a look of pity. **

** "No," Zoe said flatly. "I insist upon this. I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero." Chiron sighed. "The quest is for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve their companions." **

** My ears were ringing as I sat down. I knew Grover and some of the others were looking at me sympathetically, but I couldn't meet their eyes. I just sat there as Chiron concluded the council. **

** "So be it," he said. "Thalia and Grover will accompany Zoe, Bianca, and Phoebe. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods"—he glanced at Dionysus—"present company included, we hope—be with you." **

"Mr. D wouldn't care less," Thalia mumbled.

"I really need to meet him," Leo grinned.

"No, you don't," Nico said.

**I didn't show up for dinner that night, which was a mistake, because Chiron and Grover came looking for me. **

"Never seen Percy miss a meal," Nico said.

"He constantly eats. As far as I know, that's the only time he did it," Grover told him.

** "Percy, I'm so sorry!" Grover said, sitting next to me on the bunk. "I didn't know they'd—that you'd—Honest!" **

** He started to sniffle, and I figured if I didn't cheer him up he'd either start bawling or chewing up my mattress. He tends to eat household objects whenever he gets upset. **

"Is that a habit or just you like it?" Leo asked.

Grover pondered it for a while, "Both."

** "It's okay," I lied. "Really. It's fine." **

** Grover's lower lip trembled. "I wasn't even thinking… I was so focused on helping Artemis. But I promise, I'll look everywhere for Annabeth. If I can find her, I will." **

** I nodded and tried to ignore the big crater that was opening in my chest. **

_He is so sweet_, I thought.

"He really misses you," Piper told me.

** "Grover," Chiron said, "perhaps you'd let me have a word with Percy?" **

** "Sure," he sniffled. **

** Chiron waited.**

** "Oh," Grover said. "You mean alone. Sure, Chiron." He looked at me miserably. "See? Nobody needs a goat." **

"Grover, when we finish, we are going to get your confidence up," Leo told him.

"And then you can make Nico less emo," Thalia joked.

"Hey!" Nico protested.

** He trotted out the door, blowing his nose on his sleeve. **

** Chiron sighed and knelt on his horse legs. "Percy, I don't pretend to understand prophecies." **

** "Yeah," I said. "Well, maybe that's because they don't make any sense." **

"Very true," we all mumbled.

** Chiron gazed at the saltwater spring gurgling in the corner of the room. "Thalia would not have been my first choice to go on this quest. She's too impetuous. She acts without thinking. She is too sure of herself" **

Thalia snorted, "Thanks for the compliment."

** "Would you have chosen me?" **

** "Frankly, no," he said. "You and Thalia are much alike." **

"Which is why we are friends," Thalia said.

** "Thanks a lot." **

** He smiled. "The difference is that you are less sure of yourself than Thalia. That could be good or bad. But one thing I can say: both of you together would be a dangerous thing." **

** "We could handle it." **

** "The way you handled it at the creek tonight?" **

"Score one for Chiron," Leo said.

"Did you guys fight any after that?" Jason asked.

Thalia thought about it, "Nope. But we fought together as a team."

** I didn't answer. He'd nailed me. **

** "Perhaps it is for the best," Chiron mused. "You can go home to your mother for the holidays. If we need you, we can call." **

** "Yeah," I said. "Maybe." **

** I pulled Riptide out of my pocket and set it on my nightstand. It didn't seem that I'd be using it for anything but writing Christmas cards. **

** When he saw the pen, Chiron grimaced. "It's no wonder Zoe doesn't want you along, I suppose. Not while you're carrying that particular weapon." **

** I didn't understand what he meant. Then I remembered something he'd told me a long time ago, when he first gave me the magic sword: **_**It has a long and tragic history, which we need not go into**_**. **

** I wanted to ask him about that, but then he pulled a golden drachma from his saddlebag and tossed it to me. "Call your mother, Percy. Let her know you're coming home in the morning. And, ah, for what it's worth… I almost volunteered for this quest myself. I would have gone, if not for the last line." **

"Who's Chiron's parent?" Leo asked.

It dawned on Jason before anyone could speak, "Kronos."

"That is not a good father," Leo gulped.

** "**_**One shall perish by a parent's hand**_**. Yeah."**

** I didn't need to ask. I knew Chiron's dad was Kronos, the evil Titan Lord himself. The line would make perfect sense if Chiron went on the quest. Kronos didn't care for anyone, including his own children. **

"Gee, what gave it away? Him eating his children?" Nico joked.

** "Chiron," I said. "You know what this Titan's curse is, don't you?" **

** His face darkened. He made a claw over his heart and pushed outward—an ancient gesture for warding off evil. "Let us hope the prophecy does not mean what I think. Now, good night, Percy. And your time will come. I'm convinced of that. There's no need to rush."**

** He said **_**your**__**time**_** the way people did when they meant your death. I didn't know if Chiron meant it that way, but the look in his eyes made me scared to ask. **

"You guys need to work on how you speak to each other," Jason noted.

** I stood at the saltwater spring, rubbing Chiron's coin in my hand and trying to figure out what to say to my mom. I really wasn't in the mood to have one more adult tell me that doing nothing was the greatest thing I could do, but I figured my mom deserved an update. **

** Finally, I took a deep breath and threw in the coin. "O goddess, accept my offering." **

** The mist shimmered. The light from the bathroom was just enough to make a faint rainbow. **

** "Show me Sally Jackson," I said. "Upper East Side, Manhattan." **

** And there in the mist was a scene I did not expect. My mom was sitting at our kitchen table with some… guy. They were laughing hysterically. There was a big stack of textbooks between them. The man was, I don't know, thirty-something, with longish salt-and-pepper hair and a brown jacket over a black T-shirt. He looked like an actor—like a guy who might play an undercover cop on television. **

_Was that really his first thought on Mr. Blofis_? I wondered.

"Interesting way to talk about him," Piper said.

** I was too stunned to say anything, and fortunately, my mom and the guy were too busy laughing to notice my Iris-message. **

** The guy said, "Sally, you're a riot. You want some more wine?" **

** "Ah, I shouldn't. You go ahead if you want." **

** "Actually, I'd better use your bathroom. May I?" **

** "Down the hall," she said, trying not to laugh. **

** The actor dude smiled and got up and left. **

** "Mom!" I said. **

"You probably scared her," Thalia said, then remembered Percy isn't here.

** She jumped so hard she almost knocked her textbooks off the table. Finally she focused on me. "Percy! Oh, honey! Is everything okay?" **

** "What are you doing?" I demanded. **

** She blinked. "Homework." Then she seemed to understand the look on my face. "Oh, honey, that's just Paul—um, Mr. Blofis. He's in my writing seminar." **

** "Mr. Blowfish?" **

"Of course he calls him a blowfish," Nico face-palmed.

** "**_**Blofis**_**. He'll be back in a minute, Percy. Tell me what's wrong." **

"Mother's always know," Leo said, sadly.

** She always knew when something was wrong. I told her about Annabeth. The other stuff too, but mostly it boiled down to Annabeth. **

"That is so sweet," Piper gushed, "He can't get you off his mind."

_Just like me right now_, I thought.

** My mother's eyes teared up. I could tell she was trying hard to keep it together for my sake. "Oh, Percy…" **

** "Yeah. So they tell me there's nothing I can do. I guess I'll be coming home." **

"When has that ever stopped Percy?" Thalia smirked.

"Never," I replied.

** She turned her pencil around in her fingers. "Percy, as much as I want you to come home"—she sighed like she was mad at herself—"as much as I want you to be safe, I want you to understand something. You need to do whatever you think you have to." **

** I stared at her. "What do you mean?" **

** "I mean, do you really, deep down, believe that you have to help save her? Do you think it's the right thing to do? Because I know one thing about you, Percy. Your heart is always in the right place. Listen to it." **

"That is hinting his fatal flaw," I said.

"Fatal flaw?" Leo asked.

"It comes up later, I'm sure."

** "You're… you're telling me to go?" **

** My mother pursed her lips. "I'm telling you that… you're getting too old for me to tell you what to do. I'm telling you that I'll support you, even if what you decide to do is dangerous. I can't believe I'm saying this." **

** "Mom—" **

** The toilet flushed down the hall in our apartment. **

** "I don't have much time," my mom said. "Percy, whatever you decide, I love you. And I know you'll do what's best for Annabeth." **

** "How can you be sure?" **

** "Because she'd do the same for you." **

"Currently doing the same," I mumbled, looking down. Thalia patted my shoulder.

** And with that, my mother waved her hand over the mist, and the connection dissolved, leaving me with one final image of her new friend, Mr. Blowfish, smiling down at her. **

"This guy relates everything to water," Leo sighed, grinning.

"Poseidon's kid, what else do you expect?" Grover asked.

** I don't remember falling asleep, but I remember the dream. **

** I was back in that barren cave, the ceiling heavy and low above me. Annabeth was kneeling under the weight of a dark mass that looked like a pile of boulders. She was too tired even to cry out. Her legs trembled. Any second, I knew she would run out of strength and the cavern ceiling would collapse on top of her. **

"The optimism is through the roof," Nico said.

"Like you're any better," Thalia said, hitting his head.

** "How is our mortal guest?" a male voice boomed. **

** It wasn't Kronos. Kronos's voice was raspy and metallic, like a knife scraped across stone. I'd heard it taunting me many times before in my dreams. But this voice was deeper and lower, like a bass guitar. Its force made the ground vibrate. **

** Luke emerged from the shadows. He ran to Annabeth, knelt beside her, then looked back at the unseen man. "She's fading. We must hurry." **

** The hypocrite. Like he really cared what happened to her. **

** The deep voice chuckled. It belonged to someone in the shadows, at the edge of my dream. Then a meaty hand thrust someone forward into the light—Artemis—her hands and feet bound in celestial bronze chains. **

"How does one over-power a goddess?"Leo asked.

We shrugged. "Maybe wounding them, but that is really hard," I answered.

"Unless you're Percy," Grover whispered to Thalia.

** I gasped. Her silvery dress was torn and tattered. Her face and arms were cut in several places, and she was bleeding ichor, the golden blood of the gods. **

** "You heard the boy," said the man in the shadows. "Decide!" **

** Artemis's eyes flashed with anger. I didn't know why she just didn't will the chains to burst, or make herself disappear, but she didn't seem able to. Maybe the chains prevented her, or some magic about this dark, horrible place. **

"They can't do that when they trap them," Jason said. "Learned that from Hera, Juno, whatever."

**The goddess looked at Annabeth and her expression changed to concern and outrage. "How dare you torture a maiden like this!" **

** "She will die soon," Luke said. "You can save her." **

** Annabeth made a weak sound of protest. My heart felt like it was being twisted into a knot. I wanted to run to her, but I couldn't move. **

** "Free my hands," Artemis said. **

** Luke brought out his sword, Backbiter. With one expert strike, he broke the goddess's handcuffs. **

"What is so special about his sword?" Jason asked.

"One half is Celestial Bronze, the other half is tempered steel," I answered.

"It harms mortals and monsters?" Jason asked in disbelief.

"Sadly, yes. It can harm mortals," Grover said.

** Artemis ran to Annabeth and took the burden from her shoulders. Annabeth collapsed on the ground and lay there shivering. Artemis staggered, trying to support the weight of the black rocks. **

** The man in the shadows chuckled. "You are as predictable as you were easy to beat, Artemis." **

** "You surprised me," the goddess said, straining under her burden. "It will not happen again." **

** "Indeed it will not," the man said. "Now you are out of the way for good! I knew you could not resist helping a young maiden. That is, after all, your specialty, my dear." **

** Artemis groaned "You know nothing of mercy, you swine." **

** "On that," the man said, "we can agree. Luke, you may kill the girl now." **

** "No!'" Artemis shouted. **

** Luke hesitated. "She—she may yet be useful, sir.. Further bait." **

"Hate being used..." I grumbled.

** "Bah! You truly believe that?" **

** "Yes, General. They will come for her. I'm sure." **

** The man considered. "Then the dracaenae can guard her here. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of **_**all**_** mortals will be meaningless." **

"Doesn't he _use_ mortals?" Leo asked.

"Yes, but not because they are reliable," Thalia answered.

"Oh."

** Luke gathered up Annabeth's listless body and carried her away from the goddess. **

** "You will never find the monster you seek," Artemis said. "Your plan will fail." "How little you know, my young goddess," the man in the shadows said. "Even now, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is… challenging." **

"That is just great," Thalia said. "And he forgot to mention this to us."

"This is Percy we're talking, reading, about. He forgets a lot," Nico laughed.

**The man's laughter echoed in the darkness, shaking the ground until it seemed the whole cavern ceiling would collapse. **

** I woke with a start. I was sure I'd heard a loud banging. I looked around the cabin. It was dark outside. The salt spring still gurgled. No other sounds but the hoot of an owl in the woods and the distant surf on the beach. In the moonlight, on my nightstand was Annabeth's New York Yankees cap. I stared at it for a second and then:BANG BANG. **

** Someone, or something, was pounding on my door. I grabbed Riptide and got out of bed. "Hello?" I called. THUMP. THUMP.I crept to the door. **

** I uncapped the blade, flung open the door, and found myself face-to-face with a black pegasus. **

_**Whoa, boss**_**! Its voice spoke in my mind as it clopped away from the sword blade. **_**I don't wanna be a horse-ke-bob**_**! **

"He speaks to horses?" Piper asked.

"It's a Poseidon thing. He created horses, so Percy can talk to them," I told him.

"And satyrs can talk to _all_ animals and humans," Grover said proudly.

** Its black wings spread in alarm, and the wind buffeted me back a step. **

** "Blackjack," I said, relieved but a little irritated. "It's the middle of the night!" **

** Blackjack huffed. **_**Ain't either, boss. It's five in the morning. What you still sleeping for**_**?**

"Who wakes up a five in the morning?" Leo asked.

"A lot of people and , I guess, horses," I replied.

** "How many times have I told you? Don't call me boss." **

_**Whatever you say, boss. You're the man. You're my number one**_**. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and tried not to let the pegasus read my thoughts. That's the problem with being Poseidon's son: since he created horses out of sea foam, I can understand most equestrian animals, but they can understand me, too. Sometimes, like in Blackjacks case, they kind of adopt me. **

"So Percy gets his own horse," Leo said.

"Kind of like Tempest," Jason said with a smile.

** See, Blackjack had been a captive on board Luke's ship last summer, until we'd caused a little distraction that allowed him to escape. I'd really had very little to do with it, seriously, but Blackjack credited me with saving him. **

** "Blackjack," I said, "you're supposed to stay in the stables." **

_**Meh, the stables. You see Chiron staying in the stables**_**? **

"Nope, that's his least favorite place," Grover said.

"I'm going to put stables on the ship," Leo mumbled, pulling out a paper and pencil.

** "Well… no." **

_**Exactly. Listen, we got another little sea friend needs your help**_**. **

** "Again?" **

_**Yeah. I told the hippocampi I'd come get you. **_

__**I groaned. Anytime I was anywhere near the beach, the hippocampi would ask me to help them with their problems. And they had a lot of problems. Beached whales, porpoises caught in fishing nets, mermaids with hangnails—they'd call me to come underwater and help. **

** "All right," I said. "I'm coming."**

_**You're the best, boss**_**. **

"Lovin' this horse," Nico joked.

Thalia gasped. "Did Nico just say 'Love'?"

"I don't think that was our Nico," Grover laughed.

Nico pouted.

** "And don't call me boss!" **

** Blackjack whinnied softly. It might've been a laugh.**

** I looked back at my comfortable bed. My bronze shield still hung on the wall, dented and unusable. And on my nightstand was Annabeth's magic Yankees cap. On an impulse, I stuck the cap in my pocket. I guess I had a feeling, even then, that I wasn't coming back to my cabin for a long, long time. **

"Yeah you wouldn't," Nico said.

We stared at him.

"Later."

"Done!" Piper exclaimed. "Who's next?"

"I'll go," Grover said, taking the book.

"**I Make A Dangerous Promise**," Grover began.


	10. The Titan's Curse Ch8

Chapter 10: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Annabeth's POV**

"**I Make A Dangerous Promise**," Grover began.

_How many times a day does Percy get in trouble_? I thought. _Too many to count_. _Better not to try and think about it_.

**Blackjack gave me a ride down the beach, and I have to admit it was cool. Being on a flying horse, skimming over the waves at a hundred miles an hour with the wind in my hair and the sea spray in my face—hey, it beats waterskiing any day. **

** Here. Blackjack slowed and turned in a circle. **_**Straight**__**down**_**. **

** "Thanks." I tumbled off his back and plunged into the icy sea. I'd gotten more comfortable doing stunts like that the past couple of years. I could pretty much move however I wanted to underwater, just by willing the ocean currents to change around me and propel me along, I could breathe underwater, no problem, and my clothes never got wet unless I wanted them to. **

"Very handy abilities," Piper said, her mouth dropping at the mention of Percy's powers.

"That's not even the coolest part," Nico and Thalia whispered to each other. Jason and Piper looked at them, but didn't say anything.

** I shot down into the darkness. **

** Twenty, thirty, forty feet. The pressure wasn't uncomfortable. I'd never tried to push it—to see if there was a limit to how deep I could dive. I knew most regular humans couldn't go past two hundred feet without crumpling like an aluminum can. I should've been blind, too, this deep in the water at night, but I could see the heat from living forms, and the cold of the currents. It's hard to describe. It wasn't like regular seeing, but I could tell where everything was. **

"Another great power," Leo grinned. He turned to Jason, "Is there a limit on how high you can go?"

"Maybe, though, I'd rather not try," Jason replied with a shrug.

** As I got closer to the bottom, I saw three hippocampi—fish-tailed horses—swimming in a circle around an overturned boat. The hippocampi were beautiful to watch. Their fish tails shimmered in rainbow colors, glowing phosphorescent. Their manes were white, and they were galloping through the water the way nervous horses do in a thunderstorm. Something was upsetting them. **

** I got closer and saw the problem. A dark shape—some kind of animal—was wedged halfway under the boat and tangled in a fishing net, one of those big nets they use on trawlers to catch everything at once. I hated those things. It was bad enough they drowned porpoises and dolphins, but they also occasionally caught mythological animals. When the nets got tangled, some lazy fishermen would just cut them loose and let the trapped animals die. **

"That is so cruel!" Grover exclaimed.

"We'll figure it out later," I assured him.

** Apparently this poor creature had been mucking around on the bottom of Long Island Sound and had somehow gotten itself tangled in the net of this sunken fishing boat. It had tried to get out and managed to get even more hopelessly stuck, shifting the boat in the process. Now the wreckage of the hull, which was resting against a big rock, was teetering and threatening to collapse on top of the tangled animal. **

** The hippocampi were swimming around frantically, wanting to help but not sure how. One was trying to chew the net, but hippocampi teeth just aren't meant for cutting rope. Hippocampi are really strong, but they don't have hands, and they're not (shhh) all that smart. **

"Well, they are fish-horses, so it makes sense," I said.

_**Free it, lord**_**! A hippocampus said when it saw me. The others joined in, asking the same thing. **

** I swam in for a closer look at the tangled creature. At first I thought it was a young hippocampus. I'd rescued several of them before. But then I heard a strange sound, something that did not belong underwater: **

** "Mooooooo!" **

Leo and Jason blinked. "_What_?" Leo asked, his voice full of sarcasm. "Did that thing just say 'Moo'?"

"Yes," Grover answered. He repeated the line again so Leo could make sure he wasn't losing his sanity. (Though there isn't much there to lose)

** I got next to the thing and saw that it was a cow. I mean… I'd heard of sea cows, like manatees and stuff, but this really was a cow with the back end of a serpent. The front half was a calf—a baby, with black fur and big, sad brown eyes and a white muzzle—and its back half was a black-and-brown snaky tail with fins running down the top and bottom, like an enormous eel. **

"That sounds familiar," Jason said, rubbing his chin.

** "Whoa, little one," I said. "Where did you come from?" **

** The creature looked at me sadly. "Moooo!" **

** But I couldn't understand its thoughts. I only speak horse. **

_**We don't know what it is, lord**_**, one of the hippocampi said. **_**Many strange things are stirring. **_

** "Yeah," I murmured. "So I've heard." **

** I uncapped Riptide, and the sword grew to full length in my hands, its bronze blade gleaming in the dark. **

** The cow serpent freaked out and started struggling against the net, its eyes full of terror. "Whoa!" I said. "I'm not going to hurt you! Just let me cut the net." **

"Maybe it's a monster," Piper said.

"Maybe, but then why would it not be able to escape?" Jason said.

They looked at us, but we just shrugged. I motioned for Grover to keep reading.

** But the cow serpent thrashed around and got even more tangled. The boat started to tilt, stirring up the muck on the sea bottom and threatening to topple onto the cow serpent. The hippocampi whinnied in a panic and thrashed in the water, which didn't help. **

** "Okay, okay!" I said. I put away the sword and started speaking as calmly as I could so the hippocampi and the cow serpent would stop panicking. I didn't know if it was possible to get stampeded underwater, but I didn't really want to find out. "It's cool. No sword. See? No sword. Calm thoughts. Sea grass. Mama cows. Vegetarianism." **

The demigods laughed. "Did he really think that would work?" Thalia gasped.

"I don't think it did," I laughed. Once a Seaweed Brain, always a Seaweed Brain.

** I doubted the cow serpent understood what I was saying, but it responded to the tone of my voice. The hippocampi were still skittish, but they stopped swirling around me quite so fast. **

_**Free it, lord**_**! they pleaded. **

** "Yeah," I said. "I got that part. I'm thinking." **

"Oh my gods!" Thalia exclaimed, putting her hand over her mouth. "Did Percy Jackson just say he was _thinking_!"

"I think he did!" Nico laughed.

Piper, Jason, and Leo just stared at us blankly.

"He isn't the smartest," I said. "Okay, he will never be the smartest, but his instincts are always on point."

**But how could I free the cow serpent when she (I decided it was probably a "she") panicked at the sight of a blade? It was like she'd seen swords before and knew how dangerous they were. **

"It wasn't a 'she'," Grover mumbled.

** "All right," I told the hippocampi. "I need all of you to push exactly the way I tell you." First we started with the boat. It wasn't easy, but with the strength of three horsepower, we managed to shift the wreckage so it was no longer threatening to collapse on the baby cow serpent. Then I went to work on the net, untangling it section by section, getting lead weights and fishing hooks straightened out, yanking out knots around the cow serpent's hooves. It took forever—I mean, it was worse than the time I'd had to untangle all my video game controller wires. The whole time, I kept talking to the cow fish, telling her everything was okay while she mooed and moaned. **

** "It's okay, Bessie," I said. **

"Why Bessie?" Leo asked, trying to control his laughter.

"I don't know what goes on in his head," I sighed.

** Don't ask me why I started calling her that. It just seemed like a good cow name. "Good cow. Nice cow." **

** Finally, the net came off and the cow serpent zipped through the water and did a happy somersault. **

** The hippocampi whinnied with joy. **_**Thank you, lord**_**! **

"It's funny how they call him 'lord',"Piper said, suppressing her laughter.

Leo turned to Jason, "Do birds call you lord?"

"I can't talk to birds," Jason replied.

** "Moooo!"The cow serpent nuzzled me and gave me the big brown eyes. **

** "Yeah," I said. "That's okay. Nice cow. Well… stay out of trouble." **

** Which reminded me, I'd been underwater how long? An hour, at least. I had to get back to my cabin before Argus or the harpies discovered I was breaking curfew. **

** I shot to the surface and broke through. Immediately, Blackjack zoomed down and let me catch hold of his neck. He lifted me into the air and took me back toward the shore. **

_**Success, boss**_**? **

** "Yeah. We rescued a baby… something or other. Took forever. Almost got stampeded." **_**Good deeds are always dangerous, boss. You saved my sorry mane, didn't you**_**? **

"Blackjack sounds really fun!" Leo noted.

"He is probably the coolest horse," I replied with a smile.

** I couldn't help thinking about my dream, with Annabeth crumpled and lifeless in Luke's arms. Here I was rescuing baby monsters, but I couldn't save my friend. **

"Percy, we all know you're doing the best you can," I sighed. Thalia squeezed my shoulder.

"We'll find him, don't worry."

** As Blackjack flew back toward my cabin, I happened to glance at the dining pavilion. I saw a figure—a boy hunkered down behind a Greek column, like he was hiding from someone. **

** It was Nico, but it wasn't even dawn yet. Nowhere near time for breakfast. What was he doing up there? **

"What are you planning, Nico?" Thalia asked.

"You'll see," Nico grumbled. He obviously hates how childish he has become.

** I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was more time for Nico to tell me about his Mythomagic game. **

"Seriously, why are you so into that?" Leo asked.

"I'm not anymore, that was when I was immature," Nico protested.

Leo put his hands up in surrender.

** But something was wrong. I could tell by the way he was crouching. **

** "Blackjack," I said, "set me down over there, will you? Behind that column." **

** I almost blew it. **

"You always 'almost blew it'," Thalia rolled her eyes.

** I was coming up the steps behind Nico. He didn't see me at all. He was behind a column, peeking around the corner, all his attention focused on the dining area. I was five feet away from him, and I was about to say **_**What are you doing**_**? real loud, when it occurred to me that he was pulling a Grover: he was spying on the Hunters. **

"Not like Grover!" Nico yelled while we laughed.

"Never knew you liked the Hunters so much," Thalia laughed. Nico blushed furiously.

** There were voices—two girls talking at one of the dining tables. At this ungodly hour of the morning? Well, unless you're the goddess of dawn, I guess. **

** I took Annabeth's magic cap out of my pocket and put it on. **

** I didn't feel any different, but when I raised my arms I couldn't see them. I was invisible. **

** I crept up to Nico and sneaked around him. I couldn't see the girls very well in the dark, but I knew their voices: Zoe and Bianca. It sounded like they were arguing. **

** "It **_**cannot**_** be cured," Zoe was saying. "Not quickly, at any rate." **

"What can't?" Piper asked.

We all shrugged except Nico, who stayed completely silent.

"Only Nico and Percy knew about this," I answered.

** "But how did it happen?" Bianca asked. **

** "A foolish prank," Zoe growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hermes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it." **

"That's terrible!" Thalia yelled. "I swear to all the gods I will shoot-"

"Calm down, Thalia. It happened years ago, and she survived," Grover said, grabbing her shoulder and forcing her to sit down.

** "That's terrible!" **

Thalia nodded in approval.

** "She will live," Zoe said. "But she'll be bedridden for weeks with horrible hives. There is no way she can go. It's up to me… and thee." **

** "But the prophecy," Bianca said. "If Phoebe can't go, we only have four. We'll have to pick another." **

** "There is no time," Zoe said. "We must leave at first light. That's immediately. Besides, the prophecy said we would lose one." **

"In the land without rain and by a parents hand," I remembered. "But Camp isn't a land without rain."

"It didn't mean Camp," Thalia said, glumly.

** "In the land without rain," Bianca said, "but that can't be here." **

** "It might be," Zoe said, though she didn't sound convinced. "The camp has magic borders. Nothing, not even weather, is allowed in without permission. It could be a land without rain." **

** "But—" **

** "Bianca, hear me." Zoe's voice was strained. "I… I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should **_**not**_** pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And… I don't want to risk another Hunter." **

** Bianca was silent. "You should tell Thalia the rest of your dream." **

"What dream?" Thalia asked.

"She never told you about her dream?" Grover asked.

"Never," Thalia repeated.

** "No. It would not help." **

** "But if your suspicions are correct, about the General—" **

"Who is the General," Jason asked.

"It will tell you later," I assured him.

** "I have thy word not to talk about that," Zoe said. She sounded really anguished. "We will find out soon enough. Now come. Dawn is breaking." **

** Nico scooted out of their way. He was faster than me. **

"How?" I asked. "Nico has barely been here for a week and he is faster?"

"Probably just more nimble 'cuz he is so small," Thalia joked.

"Shut up!" Nico yelled, again.

** As the girls sprinted down the steps, Zoe almost ran into me. She froze, her eyes narrowing. Her hand crept toward her bow, but then Bianca said, "The lights of the Big House are on. Hurry!" **

"Lucky for him, Bianca saved the day," Piper said.

** And Zoe followed her out of the pavilion. **

** I could tell what Nico was thinking. He took a deep breath and was about to run after his sister when I took off the invisibility cap and said, "Wait." **

** He almost slipped on the icy steps as he spun around to find me. "Where did you come from?" **

** "I've been here the whole time. Invisible." **

** He mouthed the word **_**invisible**_**. "Wow. Cool." **

"Nothing ceases to amaze you," I shook my head.

"I just learned about all this, stop making fun of my childish behavior," Nico demanded.

** "How did you know Zoe and your sister were here?" **

** He blushed. **

"He has a crush on Zoe?" Piper asked.

"I do not!" Nico yelled.

"Sorry, sorry," Piper replied.

** "I heard them walk by the Hermes cabin. I don't… I don't sleep too well at camp. So I heard footsteps, and them whispering. And so I kind of followed." **

** "And now you're thinking about following them on the quest," I guessed. **

** "How did you know that?" **

"Because, you are completely obvious!" Thalia said loudly, making Nico jump.

** "Because if it was my sister, I'd probably be thinking the same thing. But you can't." **

** He looked defiant. "Because I'm too young?" **

** "Because they won't let you. They'll catch you and send you back here. And… yeah, because you're too young. You remember the manticore? There will be lots more like that. More dangerous. Some of the heroes will die." **

"Way to make Nico feel safe," Leo laughed. "I mean, I love a good dangerous mission as much as the next guy, but you make it sound less fun than it is."

**He shoulders sagged. He shifted from foot to foot. "Maybe you're right. But, but **_**you**_** can go for me." **

** "Say what?" **

** "You can turn invisible. You can go!" **

** "The Hunters don't like boys," I reminded him. "If they find out—" **

"They'll kill you or send you back," Thalia finished for Percy.

I glared at her. "Not helping the mood."

She shrugged.

** "Don't let them find out. Follow them invisibly. Keep an eye on my sister! You have to. Please?" **

** "Nico—" **

** "You're planning to go anyway, aren't you?" **

** I wanted to say no. But he looked me in the eyes, and I somehow couldn't lie to him.**

"This was before he went all emo and actually smiled for once," Thalia pointed out. They laughed while Nico pouted.

"If you were in my shoes, you wouldn't be all happy either," he grumbled.

** "Yeah," I said. "I have to find Annabeth. I have to help, even if they don't want me to." **

"Aww, that's so sweet," Piper gushed.

I blushed. _Can't believe he did so much to find me_.

** "I won't tell on you," he said. "But you have to promise to keep my sister safe." **

** "I… that's a big thing to promise, Nico, on a trip like this. Besides, she's got Zoe, Grover, and Thalia—" **

** "Promise," he insisted. **

** "I'll do my best. I promise that." **

"Is that why you hated him?" Grover asked.

"Part of the reason," Nico mumbled to himself, but I heard. "Yeah," he said loud enough to hear. I raised an eyebrow, but he didn't notice.

** "Get going, then!" he said. "Good luck!" **

** It was crazy. I wasn't packed. I had nothing but the cap and the sword and the clothes I was wearing. I was supposed to be going home to Manhattan this morning. "Tell Chiron—" **

** "I'll make something up." Nico smiled crookedly. "I'm good at that. Go on!" **

** I ran, putting on Annabeth's cap. As the sun came up, I turned invisible. I hit the top of Half-Blood Hill in time to see the camp's van disappearing down the farm road, probably Argus taking the quest group into the city. After that they would be on their own. **

"Not this time," Grover said.

I looked at him funny, but he shrugged. "I think it comes up in the book."

** I felt a twinge of guilt, and stupidity, too. How was I supposed to keep up with them. Run? Then I heard the beating of huge wings. Blackjack landed next to me. He began casually nuzzling a few tufts of grass that stuck through the ice. **

_**If I was guessing, boss, I'd say you need a getaway horse. You interested**_**? **

"Blackjack is seriously the coolest horse," Leo exclaimed. Just then a pegasus- Blackjack- poked him in the back. Leo nearly achieved lift-off, he jumped so high. "Holy Hephaestus!" he yelled, turning around.

"Leo, meet Blackjack," I said, laughing at his scare.

"Nice to meet you," Leo grumbled. Blackjack nickered, probably a laugh.

** A lump of gratitude stuck in my throat, but I managed to say, "Yeah. Let's fly." **

"That's the end of the chapter," Grover told us. "Who wants to read next?"

"I will," Thalia said. She took the book and turned to the next chapter. "**I Learn How To Grow Zombies**," she read.

"Sounds like Nico," I said. Said person glared, but said nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I am going to conduct a poll to decide on when to add Percy to the story. I have three choices:**

**a) During _The Last Olympian_**

**b) During the Mt. St. Helens chapter in _The Battle of the Labyrinth_**

**c) During the chapter where Aphrodite meets with Percy in _The Titan's Curse_**

**Let me know what you choose and the one that wins will have the famous _Percy Jackson _****_Appearance_**


	11. The Titan's Curse Ch9

Chapter 11: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Annabeth's POV**

"**I Learn How To Grow Zombies**," Thalia began.

"Sounds like Nico," I said. Said person glared at me, but said nothing.

**The thing about flying on a pegasus during the daytime is that if you're not careful, you can cause a serious traffic accident on the Long Island Expressway. I had to keep Blackjack up in the clouds, which were, fortunately, pretty low in the winter. We darted around, trying to keep the white Camp Half-Blood van in sight. And if it was cold on the ground, it was seriously cold in the air, with icy rain stinging my skin. **

** I was wishing I'd brought some of that Camp Half-Blood orange thermal underwear they sold in the camp store, but after the story about Phoebe and the centaur-blood T-shirt, I wasn't sure I trusted their products anymore. **

"That's good," I said. "Make sure nothing else happens."

** We lost the van twice, but I had a pretty good sense that they would go into Manhattan first, so it wasn't too difficult to pick up their trail again. **

** Traffic was bad with the holidays and all. It was mid morning before they got into the city. I landed Blackjack near the top of the Chrysler Building and watched the white camp van, thinking it would pull into the bus station, but it just kept driving. **

"Is Argus not driving?" I asked.

Grover nodded. "He wasn't driving, not even once."

** "Where's Argus taking them?" I muttered. **

_**Oh, Argus ain't driving, boss**_**, Blackjack told me. **_**That girl is**_**. **

** "Which girl?" **

_**The Hunter girl. With the silver crown thing in her hair**_**. **

"Zoe?" I asked.

** "Zoe?" **

I blushed at me and Percy's similar question. The others laughed.

"You think like Kelp Head," Thalia teased.

I stuck my tongue out at her.

_**That's the one. Hey, look! There's a donut shop. Can we get something to go**_**? **

"Blackjack loves his donuts," Grover sighed. "Doesn't he understand that it would give mortals a heart-attack if he went in there?"

** I tried explaining to Blackjack that taking a flying horse to a donut shop would give every cop in there a heart attack, but he didn't seem to get it. Meanwhile, the van kept snaking its way toward the Lincoln Tunnel. It had never even occurred to me that Zoe could drive. I mean, she didn't look sixteen. Then again, she was immortal. I wondered if she had a New York license, and if so, what her birth date said. **

"How old is she?" Leo asked.

Thalia shrugged. "Don't know, she never said."

** "Well," I said. "Lets get after them." **

** We were about to leap off the Chrysler Building when Blackjack whinnied in alarm and almost threw me. Something was curling around my leg like a snake. I reached for my sword, but when I looked down, there was no snake. Vines—grape vines—had sprouted from the cracks between the stones of the building. They were wrapping around Blackjack's legs, lashing down my ankles so we couldn't move. **

"Dionysus?" Jason asked.

"Probably," I grumbled. Mr. D caught him, but I knew he still goes. _Why would Mr. D let him go?_

**"Going somewhere?" Mr. D asked. **

** He was leaning against the building with his feet levitating in the air, his leopard-skin warm-up suit and black hair whipping around in the wind. **

_**God alert!**_** Blackjack yelled. **_**It's the wine dude!**_

"You think like a horse, Nico," Leo laughed.

"Or the horse thinks like me," he mumbled.

** Mr. D sighed in exasperation. "The next person, or **_**horse**_**, who calls me the 'wine dude' will end up in a bottle of Merlot!" **

** "Mr. D." I tried to keep my voice calm as the grape vines continued to wrap around my legs. "What do you want?" **

** "Oh, what do **_**I**_** want? You thought, perhaps, that the immortal, all-powerful director of camp would not notice you leaving without permission?" **

** "Well… maybe." **

"Such a Percy Type answer," I shook my head.

** "I should throw you off this building, minus the flying horse, and see how heroic you sound on the way down." **

** I balled my fists. I knew I should keep my mouth shut, but Mr. D was about to kill me or haul me back to camp in shame, and I couldn't stand either idea. "Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?" **

** Purple flames flickered in his eyes. "You're a hero, boy. I need no other reason." **

** "I **_**have**_** to go on this quest! I've got to help my friends. That's something you wouldn't understand!" **

"How is he alive?" Jason asked.

I thought about it. "The gods can't kill Percy and he is a good fighter," I answered.

"Why can't they kill him?" Piper asked.

"They might offend Poseidon if they killed his favorite- and only- son, so they can't do it less they risk war," I told them.

"Great dad," Leo said.

_**Um, boss**_**, Blackjack said nervously. **_**Seeing as how we're wrapped in vines nine hundred feet in the air, you might want to talk nice**_**. **

** The grape vines coiled tighter around me. Below us, the white van was getting farther and farther away. Soon it would be out of sight. **

** "Did I ever tell you about Ariadne?" Mr. D asked. "Beautiful young princess of Crete? She liked helping her friends, too. In fact, she helped a young hero named Theseus, also a son of Poseidon. She gave him a ball of magical yarn that let him find his way out of the Labyrinth. And do you know how Theseus rewarded her?" **

** The answer I wanted to give was **_**I don't care**_**! But I didn't figure that would make Mr. D finish his story any faster. **

** "They got married," I said. "Happily ever after. The end." **

"Like that ever happens," Jason said.

"It could happen, you have to have hope," Piper told him. She kissed him on the cheek and he smiled. Those two reminded me of me and Percy too much.

** Mr. D sneered. "Not quite. Theseus **_**said**_** he would marry her. He took her aboard his ship and sailed for Athens. Halfway back, on a little island called Naxos, he… What's the word you mortals use today?… he **_**dumped**_** her. I found her there, you know. Alone. Heartbroken. Crying her eyes out. She had given up everything, left everything she knew behind, to help a dashing young hero who tossed her away like a broken sandal." **

"That's wrong," Piper said.

"Percy would never do that," Thalia gritted her teeth. "I mean, his flaw is loyalty for Zeus' sake!" I nodded in agreement.

** "That's wrong," I said. "But that was thousands of years ago. What's that got to do with me?" **

** Mr. D regarded me coldly. "I fell in love with Ariadne, boy. I healed her broken heart. And when she died, I made her my immortal wife on Olympus. She waits for me even now. I shall go back to her when I am done with this infernal century of punishment at your ridiculous camp." **

** I stared at him. "You're… you're married? But I thought you got in trouble for chasing a wood nymph—" **

"So he cheated on his wife, too," Nico smirked.

** "My **_**point**_** is you heroes never change. You accuse us gods of being vain. You should look at yourselves. You take what you want, use whoever you have to, and then you betray everyone around you. So you'll excuse me if I have no love for heroes. They are a selfish, ungrateful lot. Ask Ariadne. Or Medea. For that matter, ask Zoe Nightshade." **

"Hate Medea," Jason, Piper, and Leo shuddered at the thought.

"Why Zoe?" Leo asked.

"It comes up later, I'm sure," Thalia assured him.

** "What do you mean, ask Zoe?" **

** He waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Follow your silly friends." **

** The vines uncurled around my legs. **

** I blinked in disbelief. "You're… you're letting me go? Just like that?" **

** "The prophecy says at least two of you will die. Perhaps I'll get lucky and you'll be one of them. But mark my words, Son of Poseidon, live or die, you will prove no better than the other heroes."**

I smirked at that comment. _Yeah, he proves to be better than _all_ those heroes._

** With that, Dionysus snapped his fingers. His image folded up like a paper display. There was a **_**pop**_** and he was gone, leaving a faint scent of grapes that was quickly blown away by the wind. **

_**Too close**_**, Blackjack said. **

** I nodded, though I almost would have been less worried if Mr. D had hauled me back to camp. The fact that he'd let me go meant he really believed we stood a fair chance of crashing and burning on this quest. **

"There was a pretty high chance of that," Grover grimaced.

** "Come on, Blackjack," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "I'll buy you some donuts in New Jersey." **

"No he wont," Grover said. "he doesn't have money for all we know."

** As it turned out, I didn't buy Blackjack donuts in New Jersey. **

"Of course," Grover shook his head.

** Zoe drove south like a crazy person, and we were into Maryland before she finally pulled over at a rest stop. Blackjack darn near tumbled out of the sky, he was so tired. **

_**I'll be okay, boss**_**, he panted. **_**Just… just catching my breath**_**. **

** "Stay here," I told him. "I'm going to scout." **

_**'Stay here' I can handle. I can do that**_**. **

** I put on my cap of invisibility and walked over to the convenience store. It was difficult not to sneak. I had to keep reminding myself that nobody could see me. It was hard, too, because I had to remember to get out of people's way so they wouldn't slam into me. **

"What is it like to be invisible?" Leo asked like a little kid.

"Well, you can't been seen and you can pick things up, but they don't turn invisible," I explained.

"That's not fun," he whined. "Why don't the things turn invisible when you pick it up?"

"Ask someone who cares," Thalia grumbled.

** I thought I'd go inside and warm up, maybe get a cup of hot chocolate or something. I had a little change in my pocket. I could leave it on the counter. I was wondering if the cup would turn invisible when I picked it up, or if I'd have to deal with a floating hot chocolate problem, when my whole plan was ruined by Zoe, Thalia, Bianca, and Grover all coming out of the store. "Grover, are you sure?" Thalia was saying. **

** "Well… pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent." **

"Still better that not sure," I said.

"Thank you, Annabeth," Grover replied. I smiled.

** "And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked, like she couldn't believe it. **

** Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right." **

** "D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I…" She frowned. "We used to live there. That's… that's strange. I'd forgotten." **

I looked at Nico. "Lotus Hotel, right?"

"Yeah," he muttered.

** "I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west." **

** "Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled. **

** Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know **_**nothing**_** of being a Hunter!" **

** "Oh, **_**scullion**_** You're calling **_**me**_** a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?" **

"A scullion is a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks, Thalia," I told her.

"Thanks, now I know what she called me," she replied sarcastically.

** "Whoa, you two," Grover said nervously. "Come on. Not again!" **

"Again?" I asked.

"Don't ask," Thalia sighed.

** "Grover's right," Bianca said. "D.C. is our best bet." **

** Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving." "You're going to get us arrested, driving," Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do." **

** "Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go." **

"How _old_ is she?" Leo asked.

"That's a rude thing to ask," Piper scolded.

**As Blackjack and I continued south, following the van, I wondered whether Zoe had been kidding. I didn't know exactly when cars were invented, but I figured that was like prehistoric times—back when people watched black-and-white TV and hunted dinosaurs. **

"Yep, that's what the early 1900's were like," I joked.

** How old **_**was**_** Zoe? And what had Mr. D been talking about? What bad experience had she had with heroes? **

** As we got closer to Washington, Blackjack started slowing down and dropping altitude. He was breathing heavily. **

** "You okay?" I asked him. **

_**Fine, boss. I could… I could take on an army**_**. **

"He's a tough one," Piper noted.

"He is probably the strongest pegasus I've seen," I replied.

** "You don't sound so good." And suddenly I felt guilty, because I'd been running the pegasus for half a day, nonstop, trying to keep up with highway traffic. Even for a flying horse, that had to be rough. **

_**Don't worry about me, boss! I'm a tough one**_**. **

** I figured he was right, but I also figured Blackjack would run himself into the ground before he complained, and I didn't want that. **

"He is so loyal, even to horses," Thalia muttered.

** Fortunately, the van started to slow down. It crossed the Potomac River into central Washington. I started thinking about air patrols and missiles and stuff like that. I didn't know exactly how all those defenses worked, and wasn't sure if pegasi even showed up on your typical military radar, but I didn't want to find out by getting shot out of the sky. **

"Of course he would think about that," Nico snorted.

"He has quite the imagination," Piper said.

** "Set me down there," I told Blackjack. "That's close enough." **

** Blackjack was so tired he didn't complain. He dropped toward the Washington Monument and set me on the grass. **

** The van was only a few blocks away. Zoe had parked at the curb. **

** I looked at Blackjack. "I want you to go back to camp. Get some rest. Graze. I'll be fine." Blackjack cocked his head skeptically. **_**You sure, boss?**_

** "You've done enough already," I said. "I'll be fine. And thanks a ton." **

_**A ton of hay, maybe, Blackjack mused. That sounds good. All . right, but be careful, boss. I got a feeling they didn't come here to meet anything friendly and handsome like me**_**. **

"I really wish Jason's horse had a sense of humor," Leo said, wistfully.

"Tempest has humor, we just don't know what he is saying," Jason defended.

"Maybe if we find Percy, he can talk to him," Leo said. Then he realized what he said and quickly changed it. "I mean, _when, when_ we find Percy."

I glared, but didn't say anything.

** I promised to be careful. Then Blackjack took off, circling twice around the monument before disappearing into the clouds. **

** I looked over at the white van. Everybody was getting out. Grover pointed toward one of the big buildings lining the Mall. Thalia nodded, and the four of them trudged off into the cold wind.**

** I started to follow. But then I froze. **

** A block away, the door of a black sedan opened. A man with gray hair and a military buzz cut got out. He was wearing dark shades and a black overcoat. Now, maybe in Washington, you'd expected guys like that to be everywhere. But it dawned on me that I'd seen this same car a couple of times on the highway, going south. It had been following the van. **

"Monster," almost everyone said.

Thalia and Grover nodded.

** The guy took out his mobile phone and said something into it. Then he looked around, like he was making sure the coast was clear, and started walking down the Mall in the direction of my friends. **

** The worst of it was: when he turned toward me, I recognized his face. It was Dr. Thorn, the manticore from Westover Hall. **

"Very dangerous monster," Piper noted.

"How is he still alive? He couldn't have re-formed already! Could he?" Leo asked.

"He never died," I told him. "If he died, I probably would have too."

** Invisibility cap on, I followed Thorn from a distance. My heart was pounding. If he had survived that fall from the cliff, then Annabeth must have too. My dreams had been right. She was alive and being held prisoner. **

"He cares so much," I mumbled. Thalia heard and squeezed my shoulder.

"We'll get him back, don't worry," she assured me.

** Thorn kept well back from my friends, careful not to be seen. Finally, Grover stopped in front of a big building that said NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. The Smithsonian! I'd been here a million years ago with my mom, but everything had looked so much bigger then. **

"Probably because you were smaller," Nico laughed.

"No, the ships just grew," Leo said sarcastically.

** Thalia checked the door. It was open, but there weren't many people going in. Too cold, and school was out of session. They slipped inside. **

** Dr. Thorn hesitated. I wasn't sure why, but he didn't go into the museum. He turned and headed across the Mall. I made a split-second decision and followed him. **

** Thorn crossed the street and climbed the steps of the Museum of Natural History. There was a big sign on the door. At first I thought it said CLOSED FOR PIRATE EVENT. Then I realized PIRATE must be PRIVATE. **

** I followed Dr. Thorn inside, through a huge chamber full of mastodons and dinosaur skeletons. There were voices up ahead, coming from behind a set of closed doors. Two guards stood outside. They opened the doors for Thorn, and I had to sprint to get inside before they closed them again. **

** Inside, what I saw was so terrible I almost gasped out loud, which probably would've gotten me killed. **

"For once, he kept his mouth shut," Nico laughed, but quickly stopped when Thalia and I glared at him.

**I was in a huge round room with a balcony ringing the second level. At least a dozen mortal guards stood on the balcony, plus two monsters—reptilian women with double-snake trunks instead of legs. I'd seen them before. Annabeth had called them Scythian dracaenae. **

"They don't sound that bad," Leo shrugged.

"Go meet them and you'll change your mind," Grover told him.

** But that wasn't the worse of it. Standing between the snake women—I could swear he was looking straight down at me—was my old enemy Luke. He looked terrible. His skin was pale and his blond hair looked almost gray, as if he'd aged ten years in just a few months. The angry light in his eyes was still there, and so was the scar down the side of his face, where a dragon had once scratched him. But the scar was now ugly red, as though it had recently been reopened. **

** Next to him, sitting down so that the shadows covered him, was another man. All I could see were his knuckles on the gilded arms of his chair, like a throne. **

** "Well?" asked the man in the chair. His voice was just like the one I'd heard in my dream—not as creepy as Kronos's, but deeper and stronger, like the earth itself was talking. It filled the whole room even though he wasn't yelling. **

"I assume he is the General?" Jason asked.

Thalia nodded.

** Dr. Thorn took off his shades. His two-colored eyes, brown and blue, glittered with excitement. He made a stiff bow, then spoke in his weird French accent: "They are here, General." **

** "I know that, you fool," boomed the man. "But where?" **

** "In the rocket museum." **

** "The Air and Space Museum," Luke corrected irritably. **

** Dr. Thorn glared at Luke. "As you say, **_**sir**_**" **

** I got the feeling Thorn would just as soon impale Luke with one of his spikes as call him sir. **

"Probably," Thalia shrugged. "He hated Luke."

** "How many?" Luke asked. **

** Thorn pretended not to hear. **

** "**_**How**__**many**_**?" the General demanded. **

** "Four, General," Thorn said. "The satyr, Grover Underwood. And the girl with the spiky black hair and the—how do you say—**_**punk**_** clothes and the horrible shield." **

"My shield is pretty scary," Thalia nodded in approval.

** "Thalia," Luke said. **

** "And two other girls—Hunters. One wears a silver circlet." **

** "**_**That**_** one I know," the General growled. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably. **

"How does he know Zoe?" Leo asked.

"It happens later," Thalia assured him. I think she and I were the only ones who knew the answer.

**"Let me take them," Luke said to the General. "We have more than enough—" "Patience," the General said. "They'll have their hands full already. I've sent a little playmate to keep them occupied." **

Thalia and Grover shuddered at the mention of the 'playmate'.

"What was the playmate?" I asked.

"It'll say soon," Grover replied.

** "But—" **

** "We cannot risk you, my boy." **

** "Yes, **_**boy**_**," Dr. Thorn said with a cruel smile. "You are much too fragile to risk. Let me finish them off." **

** "No." The General rose from his chair, and I got my first look at him. **

** He was tall and muscular, with light brown skin and slicked-back dark hair. He wore an expensive brown silk suit like the guys on Wall Street wear, but you'd never mistake this dude for a broker. He had a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that could snap a flagpole in half. His eyes were like stone. I felt as if I were looking at a living statue. It was amazing he could even move. **

** "You have already failed me, Thorn," he said. **

** "But, General—" **

** "No excuses!" Thorn flinched. I'd thought Thorn was scary when I first saw him in his black uniform at the military academy. But now, standing before the General, Thorn looked like a silly wannabe soldier. The General was the real deal. He didn't need a uniform. He was a born commander. **

"Glad to know you think so highly of him," Nico laughed.

** "I should throw you into the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence," the General said. "I send you to capture a child of the three elder gods, and you bring me a scrawny daughter of Athena." **

"I'm _not_ scrawny," I growled.

"No, you're scary," Leo said, trying to move away from me.

** "But you promised me revenge.'" Thorn protested. "A command of my own!" **

** "**_**I**_** am Lord Kronos's senior commander," the General said. "And I will choose lieutenants who get me results! It was only thanks to Luke that we salvaged our plan at all. Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some other menial task for you." **

Jason's eyes widened in realization. "The General is-"

Piper cut him off. "Don't spoil it! I want to figure it out myself!"

"Fine."

** Thorn's face turned purple with rage. I thought he was going to start frothing at the mouth or shooting spines, but he just bowed awkwardly and left the room. **

** "Now, my boy." The General turned to Luke. "The first thing we must do is isolate the half-blood Thalia. The monster we seek will then come to her." **

"Which monster, 'cuz there are lots of monsters," Leo said.

"You'll see," was Thalia's response.

** "The Hunters will be difficult to dispose of," Luke said. "Zoe Nightshade—" **

** "Do not speak her name!" **

"So the General doesn't like Zoe," Piper said, trying to put the pieces together.

**Luke swallowed. "S—sorry, General. I just—" **

** The General silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Let me show you, my boy, how we will bring the Hunters down."**

** He pointed to a guard on the ground level. "Do you have the teeth?" **

"Is he doing what I think he is doing?" I asked Thalia.

"I wasn't there, but I think you're right," Thalia shrugged.

** The guy stumbled forward with a ceramic pot. "Yes, General!" **

** "Plant them," he said. **

** In the center of the room was a big circle of dirt, where I guess a dinosaur exhibit was supposed to go. I watched nervously as the guard took sharp white teeth out of the pot and pushed them into the soil. He smoothed them over while the General smiled coldly. **

** The guard stepped back from the dirt and wiped his hands. "Ready, General!" "Excellent! Water them, and we will let them scent their prey." **

** The guard picked up a little tin watering can with daisies painted on it, which was kind of bizarre, because what he poured out wasn't water. It was dark red liquid, and I got the feeling it wasn't Hawaiian Punch. **

"No, you think," Nico said sarcastically.

** The soil began to bubble. **

** "Soon," the General said, "I will show you, Luke, soldiers that will make your army from that little boat look insignificant." **

** Luke clenched his fists. "I've spent a year training my forces! When the Princess Andromeda arrives at the mountain, they'll be the best—" **

** "Ha.'" the General said. "I don't deny your troops will make a fine honor guard for Lord Kronos. And you, of course, will have a role to play—" **

Thalia, Grover, Nico, and I looked down at the reminder of Luke's role.

"What did he do?" Jason asked, carefully.

"It happens later, don't worry," I assured him. He didn't ask anymore questions.

** I thought Luke turned paler when the General said that. **

** "—but under my leadership, the forces of Lord Kronos will increase a hundredfold. We will be unstoppable. Behold, my ultimate killing machines." **

** The soil erupted. I stepped back nervously. In each spot where a tooth had been planted, a creature was struggling out of the dirt. The first of them said: **

** "Mew?" **

** It was a kitten. A little orange tabby with stripes like a tiger. Then another appeared, until there were a dozen, rolling around and playing in the dirt. **

Leo literally fell down, he was laughing so hard.

"That is the _best_!" he exclaimed, hugging his chest. "Deadly kittens! Oh no!"

The rest of the demigods chuckled at the thought.

**Everyone stared at them in disbelief. The General roared, **_**"What is this? Cute cuddly kittens? Where did you find those teeth?" **_

** The guard who'd brought the teeth cowered in fear. "From the exhibit, sir! Just like you said. The saber-toothed tiger—" **

** "No, you idiot! I said the tyrannosaurus! Gather up those… those infernal fuzzy little beasts and take them outside. And never let me see your face again." **

"What happened to the kittens?" Piper asked.

"He probably killed them," Nico shrugged. They looked at him funny. "What?"  
>"Nothing, you just dark thoughts, that's all," Piper told him. He pouted.<p>

** The terrified guard dropped his watering can. He gathered up the kittens and scampered out of the room. **

** "You.'" The General pointed to another guard. "**_**Get me the right teeth. NOW!**_**" **

** The new guard ran off to carry out his orders. **

** "Imbeciles,' muttered the General. **

** "This is why I don't use mortals," Luke said. "They are unreliable." **

** "They are weak-minded, easily bought, and violent," the General said. "I love them." **

"It must be a love-hate relationship," Grover said.

** A minute later, the guard hustled into the room with his hands full of large pointy teeth. "Excellent," the General said. He climbed onto the balcony railing and jumped down, twenty feet. **

** Where he landed, the marble floor cracked under his leather shoes. He stood, wincing, and rubbed his shoulders. "Curse my stiff neck." **

"So _that's_ what he meant when he said 'illusions don't crack marble floors'," Thalia said.

"What?" we all, minus Grover, asked.

"Later, jeez. So many things happen later, I'm getting tired of saying it," Thalia replied.

"I got it!" Leo exclaimed, snapping his fingers. He pulled out some parts from his tool belt and started to put them together. "Keep reading, I'll be done in a second."

** "Another hot pad, sir?" a guard asked. "More Tylenol?" **

** "No! It will pass." The General brushed off his silk suit, then snatched up the teeth. "I shall do this myself." **

** He held up one of the teeth and smiled. "Dinosaur teeth—ha! Those foolish mortals don't even know when they have dragon teeth in their possession. And not just **_**any**_** dragon teeth. These come from the ancient Sybaris herself! They shall do nicely." **

"Who's that?"Leo asked, looking up from his work. "Sybaris?"

"She terrorized Delphi in the old times," I told him. "There is a city named after her."

** He planted them in the dirt, twelve in all. Then he scooped up the watering can. He sprinkled the soil with red liquid, tossed the can away, and held his arms out wide. "Rise!" **

** The dirt trembled. A single, skeletal hand shot out of the ground, grasping at the air. **

** The General looked up at the balcony. "Quickly, do you have the scent?" **

** "Yesssss, lord," one of the snake ladies said. She took out a sash of silvery fabric, like the kind the Hunters wore. **

** "Excellent," the General said. "Once my warriors catch its scent, they will pursue its owner relentlessly. Nothing can stop them, no weapons known to half-blood or Hunter. They will tear the Hunters and their allies to shreds. Toss it here!" **

"So that's how they kept finding us," Grover said.

"Demigods must smell really bad," Piper scrnched her nose.

"Depends on the godly parent," Grover shrugged.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, Thalia and Jason smell like ozone, Percy smells like the sea, Nico smells like death and rocks, Piper smells like some kind of perfume, Leo smells like fire, and you smell like books. We only know what you smell like _after_ you are claimed, though," he explained.

"Okay then, Thalia keep reading," I told her.

** As he said that, skeletons erupted from the ground. There were twelve of them, one for each tooth the General had planted. They were nothing like Halloween skeletons, or the kind you might see in cheesy movies. These were growing flesh as I watched, turning into men, but men with dull gray skin, yellow eyes, and modern clothes—gray muscle shirts, camo pants, and combat boots. If you didn't look too closely, you could almost believe they were human, but their flesh was transparent and their bones shimmered underneath, like X-ray images. **

** One of them looked straight at me, regarding me coldly, and I knew that no cap of invisibility would fool it. **

"Probably not," I shrugged, not knowing the answer.

** The snake lady released the scarf and it fluttered down toward the General's hand. As soon as he gave it to the warriors, they would hunt Zoe and the others until they were extinct. **

** I didn't have time to think. I ran and jumped with all my might, plowing into the warriors and snatching the scarf out of the air. **

"How did he manage that?" Jason asked.

"I don't know," Thalia admitted, nodding in approval.

** "What's this?" bellowed the General. **

** I landed at the feet of a skeleton warrior, who hissed. **

** "An intruder," the General growled. "One cloaked in darkness. Seal the doors!" **

** "It's Percy Jackson!" Luke yelled. "It has to be."**

"How would he know?" Piper asked.

"Probably just a guess," Thalia shrugged.

** I sprinted for the exit, but heard a ripping sound and realized the skeleton warrior had taken a chunk out of my sleeve. When I glanced back, he was holding the fabric up to his nose, sniffing the scent, handing it around to his friends. **

"And now they are going to chase after _him_," I grumbled.

"But he survives," Thalia assured me, "Unharmed, for the most part."

"Thanks, I knew most of that," I replied, smiling a little.

** I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I squeezed through the door just as the guards slammed it shut behind me. **

** And then I ran. **

"That's the end of the chapter," Thalia said.

"I'll read next," I told her.

"Hold on!" Leo exclaimed. "Since you guys were tired of telling us something is going to happen later, I created this button! When you press it, it automatically says _Later_. Pretty cool, right?"

"Thank you, Leo," Grover said, taking the button.

It looked like one of those _That Was Easy___buttons. Only difference was this one had _LATER_ written on it.

"Chapter ten: **I Break A Few Rocket Ships**," I began. _I don't even want to know_, I thought.


	12. The Titan's Curse Ch10

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Leo's POV**

"Chapter ten: **I Break A Few Rocket Ships**," Annabeth began. I saw her roll her eyes at her boyfriends antics.

_This guy has done it all, and we're just starting the story_, I thought to myself. I watched as Grover held the _Later_ button. I still thought that was the best idea.

"How does he break rocket ships?" Piper asked.

Thalia shrugged. "He breaks a lot of things, especially famous things."

"Remember the Arch?" Grover asked Annabeth.

She smirked. "First time he jumped to his death."

"He _what_?" Jason asked. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes bugged out of his head and it looked like it might explode.

"When he was twelve, he fought Echidna and Chimera," Annabeth explained. "He was about to die, but he jumped into the Mississippi."

"How high is the Arch?" Thalia paled at the thought of that kind of jump.

"630 feet," Annabeth answered.

"And he _survived_?" Piper asked, in disbelief.

"Those are some wicked powers! Is there a limit on how far he can fall into water?" I asked.

They shrugged. "He never tried to push it, jumping to his death wasn't high on his to do list," Grover said.

"No, but almost dying is," Thalia pointed out.

Annabeth ended the conversation by starting to read.

**I tore across the Mall, not daring to look behind me. I burst into the Air and Space Museum and took off my invisibility cap once I was through the admissions area. **

** The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. I wanted to yell at them all to leave, but I figured that would only get me arrested. I had to find Thalia and Grover and the Hunters. Any minute, the skeleton dudes were going to invade the museum, and I didn't think they would settle for an audio tour. **

"I think they would find that rather enjoyable," Nico joked.

"Is that a punishment in the Fields of Punishment?" I asked.

"No, but it should be," Nico's grin was creepier that him. I mean, the guy is cool and all, but he kind of creeps me out–the way he dresses in all black, the skull ring, the obsidian black eyes. It's all creepy, but cool at the same time.

** I ran into Thalia—literally. I was barreling up the ramp to the top-floor balcony and slammed into her, knocking her into an Apollo space capsule. **

** Grover yelped in surprise. **

** Before I could regain my balance, Zoe and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at my chest. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere. **

"Are they magic?" Jason asked.

"Yep," Thalia said, drawing her bow out of thin air.

"Wicked!" I grinned. As usual, she ignored me unless it was important.

** When Zoe realized who I was, she didn't seem anxious to lower her bow. "You! How dare you show thy face here?" **

** "Percy!" Grover said. "Thank goodness." **

** Zoe glared at him, and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"**

"Way to cover it up," I laughed.

Grover blushed, but remained silent.

** "Luke," I said, trying to catch my breath. "He's here." **

** The anger in Thalia's eyes immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. "Where?" **

** I told them about the Natural History Museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke, and the General. **

** "The General is **_**here**_**?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie." **

"How does she know the General?" Jason asked.

_Later_, a mechanical voice said. I grinned. Grover used the button for the first–and not the last–time.

** "Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—" **

** "**_**What**_**?" Thalia demanded. "How many?" **

** "Twelve," I said. "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you over here. A monster." **

"Is this when you guys–" Annabeth started.

"Yes," Thalia answered, obviously not wanting to spoil it.

** Thalia and Grover exchanged looks. **

** "We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent… She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet." **

** "Zoe," Bianca said nervously, "if it **_**is**_** the General—" **

** "It **_**cannot**_** be!" Zoe snapped. "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion." **

"Illusions don't normally crack the floor," I said.

** "Illusions don't crack marble floors," I told her.**

"You think like Kelp Head," Thalia teased.

"Well, since he and I think alike, and he is so awesome, then I am awesome too!" I exclaimed, standing and putting my hand on my chest. Piper pulled me back down.

"You're awesome at fixing, let the rest of us handle the other awesome."

I pouted.

** Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I didn't know why she was taking it so personally, or how she knew this General guy, but I figured now wasn't the time to ask. "If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible… We must leave now." **

** "Good idea," I said. **

** "I was **_**not**_** including thee, boy," Zoe said. "You are not part of this quest." **

** "Hey, I'm trying to save your lives!" **

** "You shouldn't have come, Percy," Thalia said grimly. "But you're here now. Come on. Let's get back to the van." **

"Thank you, Thalia," Annabeth told the daughter of Zeus.

Thalia smiled at her.

** "That is not thy decision!" Zoe snapped. **

** Thalia scowled at her. "You're not the boss here, Zoe. I don't care how old you are!You're still a conceited little brat!"**

Thalia looked down at that comment. Jason squeezed her hand.

"You okay?" ha asked her.

"Fine, just thinking about the past, that's all," she replied.

Jason nodded, but didn't press her.

** "You never had any wisdom when it came to boys," Zoe growled. "You never could leave them behind!" **

** Thalia looked like she was about to hit Zoe. Then everyone froze, I heard a growl so loud I thought one of the rocket engines was starting up. **

** Below us, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"**

"Is it those kittens he saw earlier?" I asked.

"I wish," Grover and Thalia muttered.

** Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. I'd seen this monster once before. Two years ago, I'd glimpsed it briefly from a train. Now, up close and personal, it looked even bigger. **

Jason's eyes widened. "The Nemean Lion!"

"The one killed by Hercules?" Piper asked.

"And now, killed by Hercules _and_ Percy," Grover grinned.

** "The Nemean Lion," Thalia said. "Don't move." **

** The lion roared so loud it parted my hair. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel. **

** "Separate on my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted." **

** "Until when?" Grover asked. **

"Until you figure out how to kill it," Annabeth replied.

I didn't know much about Greek myths, but I knew this legend. Nemean lion had fur that was like a shield. Hercules killed it with his bare hands. I wonder how Percy kills it.

**"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!" **

** I uncapped Riptide and rolled to the left. Arrows whistled past me, and Grover played a sharp **_**tweet**_**-**_**tweet**_** cadence on his reed pipes. I turned and saw Zoe and Bianca climbing the Apollo capsule. They were firing arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lions metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling the Hunters off the back. Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. "**_**ROOOAAAR**_**!" **

"Lovin' the sound effects, makes it feel like I'm actually there," I said.

Thalia, Annabeth, and Piper rolled their eyes.

** "Hi-yah!" Thalia said. "Back!" **

** The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire. For a second, I thought Thalia had it under control. Then I saw the lion crouching, its leg muscles tensing. I'd seen enough cat fights in the alleys around my apartment in New York. I knew the lion was going to pounce. **

** "Hey!" I yelled. I don't know what I was thinking, but I charged the beast. I just wanted to get it away from my friends. I slashed with Riptide, a good strike to the flank that should've cut the monster into Meow Mix, but the blade just clanged against its fur in a burst of sparks.**

"I wonder..." I thought to myself. Maybe I could build armor that acted almost the same. _Yeah, then I could give it upgrades and call myself Iron Man_, I thought. I grinned at the idea.

"Leo, what are you thinking?" Piper asked.

"Just some ideas about some armor designs, nothing big," I replied.

"You're going to try and make Nemean Lion armor?" Annabeth guessed.

"How did you know?"

"It's impossible, I already tried to get some... other Hephaestus campers to do it."

** The lion raked me with its claws, ripping off a chunk of my coat. I backed against the railing. It sprang at me, one thousand pounds of monster, and I had no choice but to turn and jump. **

** I landed on the wing of an old-fashioned silver airplane, which pitched and almost spilled me to the floor, three stories below. **

** An arrow whizzed past my head. The lion jumped onto the aircraft, and the cords holding the plane began to groan. **

** The lion swiped at me, and I dropped onto the next exhibit, a weird-looking spacecraft with blades like a helicopter. I looked up and saw the lion roar—inside its maw, a pink tongue and throat. **

"The mouth is the weak spot," Jason noted.

"Yep, problem is getting a shot at it," Thalia said, grinning.

** Its mouth, I thought. Its fur was completely invulnerable, but if I could strike it in the mouth… The only problem was, the monster moved too quickly. Between its claws and fangs, I couldn't get close without getting sliced to pieces. **

** "Zoe!" I shouted. "Target the mouth!" **

** The monster lunged. An arrow zipped past it, missing completely, and I dropped from the spaceship onto the top of a floor exhibit, a huge model of the earth. I slid down Russia and dropped off the equator. **

** The Nemean Lion growled and steadied itself on the spacecraft, but its weight was too much. One of the cords snapped. As the display swung down like a pendulum, the lion leaped off onto the model earth's North Pole. **

** "Grover!" I yelled. "Clear the area!" **

** Groups of kids were running around screaming. Grover tried to corral them away from the monster just as the other cord on the spaceship snapped and the exhibit crashed to the floor. Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing and landed across from me, on the other side of the globe. The lion regarded us both, trying to decide which of us to kill first. **

"With his luck, it probably lunged at him," Nico laughed.

** Zoe and Bianca were above us, bows ready, but they kept having to move around to get a good angle. **

** "No clear shot!" Zoe yelled. "Get it to open its mouth more!" **

** The lion snarled from the top of the globe. **

** I looked around. **_**Options**_**. I needed… **

"Uh-oh," Annabeth said. "Percy has an idea."

"Why is that bad?" Piper asked.

"His ideas are never smart, but often work out really well."

"Sounds like Leo," Jason joked.

"I'm taking that as a compliment," I told him.

** The gift shop. I had a vague memory from my trip here as a little kid. Something I'd made my mom buy me, and I'd regretted it. If they still sold that stuff… **

"What stuff?" Jason asked.

"You'll see," Thalia replied while Grover hit the button.

** "Thalia," I said, "keep it occupied." **

** She nodded grimly. **

** "Hi-yah!" She pointed her spear and a spidery arc of blue electricity shot out, zapping the lion in the tail. **

** "**_**ROOOOOOOAR**_**!" The lion turned and pounced. Thalia rolled out of its way, holding up Aegis to keep the monster at bay, and I ran for the gift shop. **

** "This is no time for souvenirs, boy!" Zoe yelled. **

** I dashed into the shop, knocking over rows of T-shirts, jumping over tables full of glowin-the-dark planets and space ooze. The sales lady didn't protest. She was too busy cowering behind her cash register. **

** There! On the far wall—glittery silver packets. Whole racks of them. I scooped up every kind I could find and ran out of the shop with an armful. **

"What is it?" I wondered out loud.

** Zoe and Bianca were still showering arrows on the monster, but it was no good. The lion seemed to know better than to open its mouth too much. It snapped at Thalia, slashing with its claws. It even kept its eyes narrowed to tiny slits. **

"Smart monster," Piper noted. "Reminds me of the giant turtle that was the size of an island." **(A/N foreshadowing the event in **_**House of Hades**_** :D)**

** Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. The lion pressed her. **

** "Percy," she called, "whatever you're going to do—" **

** The lion roared and swatted her like a cat toy, sending her flying into the side of a Titan rocket. Her head hit the metal and she slid to the floor. **

** "Hey!" I yelled at the lion. I was too far away to strike, so I took a risk: I hurled Riptide like a throwing knife. It bounced off the lion's side, but that was enough to get the monster's attention. It turned toward me and snarled. **

"Now he's weaponless," Jason said.

"Doesn't matter," Nico told him, "Percy is scary regardless."

**There was only one way to get close enough. I charged, and as the lion leaped to intercept me, I chucked a space food pouch into its maw—a chunk of cellophane-wrapped, freeze-dried strawberry parfait. **

** The lion's eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball. **

** I couldn't blame it. I remembered feeling the same way when I'd tried to eat space food as a kid. The stuff was just plain nasty. **

** "Zoe, get ready!" I yelled. **

** Behind me, I could hear people screaming. Grover was playing another horrible song on his pipes. **

** I scrambled away from the lion. It managed to choke down the space food packet and looked at me with pure hate. **

** "Snack time!" I yelled. It made the mistake of roaring at me, and I got an ice-cream sandwich in its throat. Fortunately, I had always been a pretty good pitcher, even though baseball wasn't my game. Before the lion could stop gagging, I shot in two more flavors of ice cream and a freeze-dried spaghetti dinner. **

"Is it really that bad?" I asked.

"You want to try it?" Nico asked, smirking.

I shrugged. "Why not, can't be that bad."

Nico stood and dissolved into the shadows. When he returned, he had three packs of the space food. Chocolate and Strawberry ice cream and freeze-dried spaghetti. I took them and opened the packs. I ate the ice cream first, Strawberry then Chocolate. They weren't that bad, but I couldn't help but gag a little. The spaghetti was absolutely awful. I spit it out immeadiately.

"Still think it's not that bad?" Nico asked innocently.

"I stand corrected, the spaghetti is _terrible_, but the ice cream is not bad," I told him.

The others laughed.

Grover, when no one was looking except me, leaned over and ate the aluminum packet.

** The lion's eyes bugged. It opened its mouth wide and reared up on its back paws, trying to get away from me. **

** "Now!" I yelled. **

** Immediately, arrows pierced the lion's maw—two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned, and fell backward. And then it was still. **

** Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security guards were running around in a panic with no idea what was going on. **

"You did that?" Jason asked.

"Confusion song," Grover explained. "They wont know what happened long enough for us to leave."

** Grover knelt at Thalia's side and helped her up. She seemed okay, just a little dazed. Zoe and Bianca dropped from the balcony and landed next to me. **

** Zoe eyed me cautiously. "That was… an interesting strategy." **

** "Hey, it worked." **

** She didn't argue. **

"Only time that happens," Thalia smirked.

** The lion seemed to be melting, the way dead monsters do sometimes, until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat, and even that seemed to be shrinking to the size of a normal lion's pelt. **

"Spoils of war," Jason told me and Piper.

"Medusa's head and Percy's Minotaur horn are spoils of war," Annabeth said.

"Is that what's hanging in his cabin?" Nico asked.

"You didn't know?" Thalia asked him. "No, wait. Better question. Why were you in his cabin?"

"Accidental shadow travel," Nico answered, looking embarrassed. "This was _after_ he disappeared."

** "Take it," Zoe told me.**

** I stared at her. "What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal rights violation or something?" **

** "It is a spoil of war," she told me. "It is rightly thine." **

** "You killed it," I said. **

** She shook her head, almost smiling. "I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur." **

"She was being nice to a boy?" Piper asked.

"She is not mean, she just had a bad experience," Thalia defended her sort of friend. I didn't know what was up. In the book, they hate each other, but Thalia defends her like they were sisters. Apparently Jason was just as confused.

** I lifted it up; it was surprisingly light. The fur was smooth and soft. It didn't feel at all like something that could stop a blade. As I watched, the pelt shifted and changed into a coat—a full-length golden-brown duster. **

** "Not exactly my style," I murmured. **

"But it probably saved his life," Annabeth guessed.

"Probably," Thalia shrugged.

"Does he still have it?" I asked.

"No, it happens later though," Thalia answered.

** "We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long." **

** I noticed for the first time how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest us. They were scrambling in all directions except ours, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other. **

** "You did that?" I asked Grover. **

** He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds." **

** "The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe said. "Look." **

"Skeleton warriors?" Jason guessed.

"Yep, the worst of the monsters," Thalia nodded.

** Through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes, but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at me. **

** "Go," I said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them." **

"That's our Percy, putting his friends lives ahead of his own," Grover smiled.

"If only he would get himself out of danger first," Annabeth sighed.

** "No," Zoe said. "We go together." **

** I stared at her. "But, you said—" **

** "You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the fifth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind." **

"Done, who's next?" Annabeth asked.

Nico raised his hand. "I''ll read." He cleared his throat, " Chapter eleven: **Grover Gets A Lamborghini**," he read.

"Do you still have–" I started.

"No, it never was mine in the first place," Grover said.

"Sounds like Piper and the BMW," I joked.

She hit me on the arm. "I didn't steal it! I talked him into it," Piper protested.

"It's okay, we know that now," Jason said, squeezing her arm. She relaxed.


	13. The Titan's Curse Ch11

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan.

**Leo's POV**

"Chapter eleven: **Grover Gets A Lamborghini**," Nico read.

"Do you still have–" I started.

"No!" Grover quickly answered. "It was never mine in the first place!"

"Sounds like Piper and the BMW," I joked.

She hit me on the arm. "I didn't steal it! I talked him into it," Piper protested.

"It's okay," Jason assured her, "we know that now." He squeezed her arm. She seemed to relax a little.

**We were crossing the Potomac when we spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one we'd seen at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight toward us. **

** "They know the van," I said. "We have to ditch it." **

** Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining. **

** "Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully. **

"If they're using mortals, they probably think it's one of theirs," Annabeth said.

** "The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," I said. **

"You think just like Percy," Thalia teased. Annabeth didn't seem to know if that was good or bad. She fake groaned, but also blushed at the same time.

** "How can the General use mortals, anyway?" **

** "Mercenaries," Zoe said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid." **

** "But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" I asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?" **

** Zoe shook her head. "I do not know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters."**

"At least most mortals don't try to eat or kill us," Nico muttered.

"Some mortals are crazy. Like, crazier than Leo, crazy," Piper told him.

"Hey!" I protested.

** The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than we were through D.C. traffic. Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?" **

** But the sky stayed gray and snowy. No sign of a helpful thunderstorm. **

** "There!" Bianca said. "That parking lot!" **

** "We'll be trapped," Zoe said. **

** "Trust me," Bianca said.**

** Zoe shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. We left the van and followed Bianca down some steps. **

** "Subway entrance," Bianca said. "Let's go south. Alexandria." **

"That's smart," Annabeth nodded in approval.

"Nice sister you have," Jason told Nico.

His expression darkened. Thalia and Grover visibly winced. "_Had_," Nico corrected. "Nice sister I _had_."

"Sorry, man, I didn't know," Jason apologized.

"It's fine."

**We bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind us for any signs of pursuit. A few minutes later we were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C. As our train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come after us. **

** Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway." **

** Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised to see it, because it wasn't here when we used to live in D.C." **

"What?" I asked. Now, I didn't know much about Subways in D.C, but I'm pretty sure they hadn't built any new ones in the past ten years.

_Later_, the button said.

"Actually, right now," Grover corrected the button.

** Grover frowned. "New? But that station looked really old." **

** "I guess," Bianca said. "But trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway." **

** Thalia sat forward. "Wait a minute. No subway at all?" **

** Bianca nodded. Now, I knew nothing about D.C., but I didn't see how their whole subway system could be less than twelve years old. I guess everyone else was thinking the same thing, because they looked pretty confused. **

** "Bianca," Zoe said. "How long ago…" Her voice faltered. The sound of the helicopter was getting louder again. **

"Switch trains," Piper said.

"Pipes, you're speaking to a book that is about the past," Jason told his girlfriend.

"It's not like you haven't done that already," she teased.

"Fair point."

** "We need to change trains," I said. "Next station." **

** Over the next half hour, all we thought about was getting away safely. We changed trains twice. I had no idea where we were going, but after a while we lost the helicopter. **

** Unfortunately, when we finally got off the train we found ourselves at the end of the line, in an industrial area with nothing but warehouses and railway tracks. And snow. Lots of snow. It seemed much colder here. I was glad for my new lion's fur coat. **

"Guess style doesn't matter if it keeps you warm," I joked.

"The only style Percy cares about is the way he kills monsters," Thalia said.

"Yeah," Grover continued, "You should have seen how he defeated Hyperion and Iapetus and–"

"Spoilers!" Thalia shouted, clamping her hand over Grover's mouth.

** We wandered through the railway yard, thinking there might be another passenger train somewhere, but there were just rows and rows of freight cars, most of which were covered in snow, like they hadn't moved in years. **

** A homeless guy was standing at a trash-can fire. We must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave us a toothless grin and said, "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!"**

"Monster?" Jason asked.

"I don't think so," Thalia said. She was scratching the back of her head. Maybe she didn't know what the old man was.

** We huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-ggreat." **

** "My hooves are frozen," Grover complained. **

"Feet," Jason corrected.

** "**_**Feet**_**," I corrected, for the sake of the homeless guy. **

"Now Jason thinks like Percy!" Thalia fake groaned.

Jason shrugged. "I really don't care if I think like him."

**"Maybe we should contact camp," Bianca said. "Chiron—" **

** "No," Zoe said. "They cannot help us anymore. We must finish this quest ourselves."**

** I gazed miserably around the rail yard. Somewhere, far to the west, Annabeth was in danger. **

"Aww," Piper cooed. Annabeth blushed.

"Has your mom put a curse on you or something?" I asked her.

She hit my arm. "They are a good couple, it's hard not to like them."

** Artemis was in chains. A doomsday monster was on the loose. And we were stuck on the outskirts of D.C., sharing a homeless persons fire. **

** "You know," the homeless man said, "you're never completely without friends." His face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. "You kids need a train going west?" **

** "Yes, sir," I said. "You know of any?" **

** He pointed one greasy hand. Suddenly I noticed a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. It was one of those automobile-carrier trains, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. The side of the freight train said SUN WEST LINE. **

** "That's… convenient," Thalia said. "Thanks, uh…" **

** She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can in front of us was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him. **

"A god?" Jason asked.

"None of us know!" Thalia yelled at him. "And even if we did, we wouldn't tell you. You have to wait until it happens."

"Sorry, sis," Jason replied.

"Don't call me_ sis_," Thalia replied angrily.

_They sound like Apollo and Artemis in the earlier chapters_, I thought. I wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud.

** An hour later we were rumbling west. There was no problem about who would drive now, because we all got our own luxury car. Zoe and Bianca were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was playing race car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. And Thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black Mercedes SLK so she could pick up the alt-rock stations from D.C. "Join you?" I asked her. **

** She shrugged, so I climbed into the shotgun seat. The radio was playing the White Stripes. I knew the song because it was one of the only CDs I owned that my mom liked. She said it reminded her of Led Zeppelin. Thinking about my mom made me sad, because it didn't seem likely I'd be home for Christmas. I might not live that long. **

"Very positive attitude," Piper noted sarcastically.

"Percy is negative, sometimes, but he is normally about to die, so it takes a toll on your attitude," Annabeth defended her boyfriend.

** "Nice coat," Thalia told me. **

** I pulled the brown duster around me, thankful for the warmth. "Yeah, but the Nemean Lion wasn't the monster we're looking for." **

"What is the monster," Jason mumbled to me and Piper.

"No clue," Piper replied.

** "Not even close. We've got a long way to go." **

** "Whatever this mystery monster is, the General said it would come for you. They wanted to isolate you from the group, so the monster will appear and battle you one-on-one." **

"That's not what the General said," Annabeth muttered.

"It was close enough," Grover replied with a shrug.

** "He said that?" **

** "Well, something like that. Yeah." **

** "That's great. I love being used as bait." **

** "No idea what the monster might be?" **

** She shook her head morosely. "But you know where we're going, don't you? San Francisco. That's where Artemis was heading." **

** I remembered something Annabeth had said at the dance: how her dad was moving to San Francisco, and there was no way she could go. Half-bloods couldn't live there. **

"Unless you're Roman," Jason said.

"You remember where the camp is?" Annabeth asked anxiously.

"Not yet, but I know it's in San Francisco. I'll tell you as soon as I remember the _exact_ location," Jason assured her.

** "Why?" I asked. "What's so bad about San Francisco?" **

** "The Mist is really thick there because the Mountain of Despair is so near. Titan magic—what's left of it—still lingers. Monsters are attracted to that area like you wouldn't believe." "What's the Mountain of Despair?" **

** Thalia raised an eyebrow. "You really don't know? Ask stupid Zoe. She's the expert." **

"How would she know?" I thought out loud.

_Later_.

I sighed. That button should be made with a different voice speaking each time.

"Grover, can I see the button so I can modify it? Real quick," I asked him.

"Why not," he decided.

I started to play with the speakers while Nico continued to read again.

** She glared out the windshield. I wanted to ask her what she was talking about, but I also didn't want to sound like an idiot. I hated feeling like Thalia knew more than I did, so I kept my mouth shut. **

** The afternoon sun shone through the steel-mesh side of the freight car, casting a shadow across Thalia's face. I thought about how different she was from Zoe—Zoe all formal and aloof like a princess, Thalia with her ratty clothes and her rebel attitude. But there was something similar about them, too. The same kind of toughness. Right now, sitting in the shadows with a gloomy expression, Thalia looked a lot like one of the Hunters. **

** Then suddenly, it hit me: "That's why you don't get along with Zoe." **

"The Hunters..." Jason wondered. "Did they try to recruit you? Before you became an official one and all that."

"It comes up in a second," Thalia sighed. She motioned for Nico to start reading.

** Thalia frowned. "What?" **

** "The Hunters tried to recruit you," I guessed. **

** Her eyes got dangerously bright. I thought she was going to zap me out of the Mercedes, but she just sighed. I almost joined them," she admitted. "Luke, Annabeth, and I ran into them once, and Zoe tried to convince me. She almost did, but…" **

** "But?" **

** Thalia's fingers gripped the wheel. "I would've had to leave Luke." **

"Luke was popular?" I guessed.

Annabeth and Thalia glared at me.

"He was popular, but don't talk about it," Annabeth told me. I thought I heard an undertone, _Unless you want my dagger through you heart._

I gulped and nodded.

**"Oh." **

** "Zoe and I got into a fight. She told me I was being stupid. She said I'd regret my choice. She said Luke would let me down someday." **

** I watched the sun through the metal curtain. We seemed to be traveling faster each second—shadows flickering like an old movie projector. **

"How fast are they going?" I asked.

"Don't know, but it was fast," Grover told me.

I was almost done with the maintenance on the button. A few more wires adjusted and putting the right wires to the right power sources...

** "That's harsh," I said. "Hard to admit Zoe was right." **

** "She **_**wasn't**_** right! Luke never let me down. Never." **

** "We'll have to fight him," I said. "There's no way around it." **

** Thalia didn't answer. **

** "You haven't seen him lately," I warned. "I know it's hard to believe, but—" **

** "I'll do what I have to." **

** "Even if that means killing him?" **

** "Do me a favor," she said. "Get out of my car." **

"First time he held his tongue in a while," Thalia grinned.

"Does he ever not argue with someone?" Grover asked smiling.

"Nope," Annabeth said. "And I love him for that."

** I felt so bad for her I didn't argue. **

** As I was about to leave, she said, "Percy." **

** When I looked back, her eyes were red, but I couldn't tell if it was from anger or sadness. "Annabeth wanted to join the Hunters, too. Maybe you should think about why." **

"You wanted to join the Hunters?" Piper asked.

"This was before Percy and I started dating," Annabeth answered her.

"Sorry, Annabeth," Thalia told the daughter of Athena.

"It's fine, I think you helped him figure out he liked me," Annabeth smiled.

** Before I could respond, she raised the power windows and shut me out.**

** I sat in the driver's seat of Grover's Lamborghini. Grover was asleep in the back. He'd finally given up trying to impress Zoe and Bianca with his pipe music after he played "Poison Ivy" and caused that very stuff to sprout from their Lexus's air conditioner. **

Grover looked embarrassed. "This was before I became better at Nature Magic," Grover said.

"Wait! Your Lamborghini! Can we go see if it's still there?" I asked no one in particular.

"No," Piper said firmly.

** As I watched the sun go down, I thought of Annabeth. I was afraid to go to sleep. I was worried what I might dream. **

** "Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," a voice said right next to me. **

** I looked over. Somehow, I wasn't surprised to find the homeless guy from the rail yard sitting in the shotgun seat. His jeans were so worn out they were almost white. His coat was ripped, with stuffing coming out. He looked kind of like a teddy bear that had been run over by a truck. **

"Percy has weird ways of describing things," Jason noticed.

"It's all to much information," I agreed. "I love it!"

They all rolled their eyes.

**"If it weren't for dreams," he said, "I wouldn't know half the things I know about the future. They're better than Olympus tabloids." He cleared his throat, then held up his hands dramatically: **

** "**_**Dreams like a podcast, **_

_** Downloading truth in my ears. **_

_** They tell me cool stuff**_**" **

** "Apollo?" I guessed, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad. **

** He put his finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred." **

I laughed. "Fred, god of music! Apollo is awesome!"

Thunder was heard from above.

"You're welcome!" I shouted at the sky.

"That might not have been Apollo," Piper told me.

"Who else would be listening to us read?" I asked.

"All the gods watch us," Annabeth told me, "Be careful what you say."

** "A god named Fred?" **

** "Eh, well… Zeus insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there's a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong. But nobody messes with my baby sister. Nobody." **

** "Can you help us, then?" **

** "Shhh. I already have. Haven't you been looking outside?" **

** "The train. How fast are we moving?" **

** Apollo chuckled. "Fast enough. Unfortunately, we're running out of time. It's almost sunset. But I imagine we'll get you across a good chunk of America, at least." **

"So... very fast. That answer your question, Leo?" Grover asked.

I looked up from my work. "Huh? Oh, yeah, thanks." One more gear and... _voila_! "Behold! The new and improved _Later_ button! Now comes in five different voices. The voices include: A scolding Hera, an angry Porphyrion, a normal voice, a creepy oracle voice, and a Queen Dirt Face voice!"

"Thanks, Leo." Grover took the button. "Was that really necessary? One voice was fine."

"It was getting boring, so I made it better," I told him.

** "But where is Artemis?" **

** His face darkened. "I know a lot, and I see a lot. But even I don't know that. She's… clouded from me. I don't like it." **

** "And Annabeth?" **

** He frowned. "Oh, you mean that girl you lost? Hmm. I don't know." **

** I tried not to feel mad. I knew the gods had a hard time taking mortals seriously, even half-bloods. We lived such short lives, compared to the gods. **

"The gods have lived for a long time," Annabeth said. "About five thousand years to be exact."

"They've seen so much," Piper noted.

"Enough to drive someone insane," Thalia agreed.

** "What about the monster Artemis was seeking?" I asked. "Do you know what it is?" "No," Apollo said. "But there is one who might. If you haven't yet found the monster when you reach San Francisco, seek out Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He has a long memory and a sharp eye. He has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my Oracle." **

"Nereus?" Jason asked. "Never heard of him."

"He ruled before Poseidon, he knows a lot. Also, he's a homeless man," Thalia told her brother.

"He's a _what_?" I asked.

Naturally, she didn't acknowledge me for a second. "He hangs out with homeless people."

"You know what, I don't even want to know," Piper said, holding up her hands.

**"But it's **_**your**_** Oracle," I protested. "Can't you tell us what the prophecy means?" **

** Apollo sighed. "You might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or ask a poet to explain his poem. It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear through the search." **

** "In other words, you don't know." **

** Apollo checked his watch. "Ah, look at the time! I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!" **

** I wanted to protest that I wasn't tired and I'd never made up a haiku in my life, but Apollo snapped his fingers, and the next thing I knew I was closing my eyes. **

"Did he ever give him the haiku?" I asked.

"What do you think?" Thalia grumbled.

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe?"

"Leo, you're hopeless," Jason sighed.

"So I've been told..."

** In my dream, I was somebody else. I was wearing an old-fashioned Greek tunic, which was a little too breezy downstairs, and laced leather sandals. The Nemean Lion's skin was wrapped around my back like a cape, and I was running somewhere, being pulled along by a girl who was tightly gripping my hand. **

** "Hurry!" she said. It was too dark to see her face clearly, but I could hear the fear in her voice. "He will find us!" **

** It was nighttime. A million stars blazed above. We were running through tall grass, and the scent of a thousand different flowers made the air intoxicating. It was a beautiful garden, and yet the girl was leading me through it, as if we were about to die. **

"That's probably a bad place," Annabeth said. "Bad places are normally covered up by beauty. Like Circe's island."

"You went to Circe's island?" I asked. "Who's Circe?"

"An immortal sorceress, she had a spa island. Percy and I washed ashore there on our quest in the Sea of Monsters."

** "I'm not afraid," I tried to tell her. **

** "You should be!" she said, pulling me along. She had long dark hair braided down her back. Her silk robes glowed faintly in the starlight. **

"Everyone is afraid, no matter what," Jason said.

I nodded.

** We raced up the side of the hill. She pulled me behind a thorn bush and we collapsed, both breathing heavily. I didn't know why the girl was scared. The garden seemed so peaceful. And I felt strong. Stronger than I'd ever felt before. **

** "There is no need to run," I told her. My voice sounded deeper, much more confident. "I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands." **

** "Not this one," the girl said. "Ladon is too strong. You must go around, up the mountain to my father. It is the only way." **

"Ladon?" I asked.

"I don't know," Jason said.

"I don't remember any myths mentioning Ladon..." Piper rubbed her chin.

Thalia and Grover winced at the reminder of what was going to happen on this quest.

** The hurt in her voice surprised me. She was really concerned, almost like she cared about me. **

** "I don't trust your father," I said. **

** "You should not," the girl agreed. "You will have to trick him. But you cannot take the prize directly. You will die."**

** I chuckled. "Then why don't you help me, pretty one?" **

** "I… I am afraid. Ladon will stop me. My sisters, if they found out… they would disown me." **

** "Then there's nothing for it." I stood up, rubbing my hands together. **

** "Wait.'" the girl said. She seemed to be agonizing over a decision. Then, her fingers trembling, she reached up and plucked a long white brooch from her hair. "If you must fight, take this. My mother, Pleione, gave it to me. She was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean's power is within it. My immortal power." **

** The girl breathed on the pin and it glowed faintly. It gleamed in the starlight like polished abalone. **

"A hairpin?" I asked. "Is it magic?"

"You'll see," Thalia replied.

** "Take it," she told me. "And make of it a weapon." **

** I laughed. "A hairpin? How will this slay Ladon, pretty one?" **

** "It may not," she admitted. "But it is all I can offer, if you insist on being stubborn." **

** The girl's voice softened my heart. I reached down and took the hairpin, and as I did, it grew longer and heavier in my hand, until I held a familiar bronze sword. **

"Okay, so it's magic," I noted.

"Why does it say a familiar?" Jason asked.

"You'll find out in a second. It explains in a few sentences," Nico told him.

** "Well balanced," I said. "Though I usually prefer to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?" **

** "Anaklusmos," the girl said sadly. "The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea." **

"Riptide," Piper said.

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"The Ancient Greek clicked into my head, like Annabeth said it would."

** Before I could thank her, there was a trampling sound in the grass, a hiss like air escaping a tire, and the girl said, "Too late! He is here!"**

** I sat bolt upright in the Lamborghini's drivers seat. Grover was shaking my arm. "Percy," he said. "It's morning. The train's stopped. Come on!" **

** I tried to shake off my drowsiness. Thalia, Zoe, and Bianca had already rolled up the metal curtains. Outside were snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising red between two peaks. **

** I fished my pen out of my pocket and stared at it. **_**Anaklusmos**_**, the Ancient Greek name for Riptide. A different form, but I was sure it was the same blade I'd seen in my dream. **

"So Percy's sword is the one that guy used," Piper summed up.

"Yeah, and the guy who used it is famous, but you might not be able to guess who it was," Annabeth told us.

I started thinking. Maybe... Hercules? Nah, that guy only fought with his hands and lightning. Never heard of him using a sword.

** And I was sure of something else, too. The girl I had seen was Zoe Nightshade. **

"Is that the bad experience that Dionysus mentioned earlier in the book?" Jason asked.

Thalia pondered what to say for a second. "...Yes. That was the experience he was referring to, but I wont spoil anything."

"That's the end of the chapter, who wants to read?" Nico asked.

"I will," Jason said, taking the book from Nico. He turned to the correct page and began to read.

"Chapter 12: **I Go Snowboarding With A Pig**," Jason read.

"What the heck does that mean?" I asked.

"He snowboarded with a pig," Thalia, clearly annoyed, answered me. For a split second, she paled at the mention of the pig, but quickly gained her composer. I wonder what that was about.


	14. The Titan's Curse Ch12

Chapter: 14: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Leo's POV**

"Chapter 12: **I Go Snowboarding With A Pig**," Jason began.

"What the heck does that mean?" I asked.

"He snowboarded with a pig," Thalia, clearly annoyed, answered me.

For a second, she paled at the mention of the pig, but quickly gained her composer. I wonder what that was about.

**We'd arrived on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny. **

** Even with my lion-skin coat, I was freezing by the time we got to Main Street, which was about half a mile from the train tracks. As we walked, I told Grover about my conversation with Apollo the night before—how he'd told me to seek out Nereus in San Francisco. **

** Grover looked uneasy. "That's good, I guess. But we've got to get there first." **

** I tried not to get too depressed about our chances. I didn't want to send Grover into a panic, but I knew we had another huge deadline looming, aside from saving Artemis in time for her council of the gods. The General had said Annabeth would only be kept alive until the winter solstice. That was Friday, only four days away. And he'd said something about a sacrifice. I didn't like the sound of that at all. **

"Nobody likes the sound of it," Piper said.

"Well, the solstice meeting sounds cool, but that's it for cool stuff," I said.

** We stopped in the middle of town. You could pretty much see everything from there: a school, a bunch of tourist stores and cafes, some ski cabins, and a grocery store. **

** "Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out." **

"That's perfect," Nico said sarcastically.

** "There's a coffee shop!" said Grover. **

** "Yes," Zoe said. "Coffee is good." **

** "And pastries," Grover said dreamily. "And wax paper."**

"Is wax paper really good?" I asked Grover.

"Only if you're a weird kind of human, or a satyr," he told me.

"Enough about Grover's eating habits," Annabeth said. "Jason, keep reading."

** Thalia sighed. "Fine. How about you two go get us some food. Percy, Bianca, and I will check in the grocery store. Maybe they can give us directions." **

** We agreed to meet back in front of the grocery store in fifteen minutes. Bianca looked a little uncomfortable coming with us, but she did. **

** Inside the store, we found out a few valuable things about Cloudcroft: there wasn't enough snow for skiing, the grocery store sold rubber rats for a dollar each, and there was no easy way in or out of town unless you had your own car. **

** "You could call for a taxi from Alamogordo," the clerk said doubtfully. "That's down at the bottom of the mountains, but it would take at least an hour to get here. Cost several hundred dollars." **

"Piper's mom could give her her allowance and we'd be good," I joked.

"My mom doesn't just _give_ out money, it was just for that occasion!" Piper protested.

"Yeah, whatever, Beauty Queen, just know that if I need money, I'm going to visit your mom."

** The clerk looked so lonely, I bought a rubber rat. Then we headed back outside and stood on the porch. **

** "Wonderful," Thalia grumped. "I'm going to walk down the street, see if anybody in the other shops has a suggestion." **

** "But the clerk said—" "**

** I know," she told me. "I'm checking anyway." **

** I let her go. I knew how it felt to be restless. All half-bloods had attention deficit problems because of our inborn battlefield reflexes. We couldn't stand just waiting around. Also, I had a feeling Thalia was still upset over our conversation last night about Luke. **

"I was," Thalia mumbled.

** Bianca and I stood together awkwardly. I mean… I was never very comfortable talking one-on-one with girls anyway, and I'd never been alone with Bianca before. I wasn't sure what to say, especially now that she was a Hunter and everything. **

"He's going to say something stupid," Thalia sighed. She rubbed her forehead at the thought.

** "Nice rat," she said at last. **

** I set it on the porch railing. Maybe it would attract more business for the store. **

** "So… how do you like being a Hunter so far?" I asked. **

** She pursed her lips. "You're not still mad at me for joining, are you?" **

** "Nah. Long as, you know… you're happy." **

** "I'm not sure 'happy' is the right word, with Lady Artemis gone. But being a Hunter is definitely cool. I feel calmer somehow. Everything seems to have slowed down around me. I guess that's the immortality." **

Thalia blinked. "Wow. He actually got through that conversation without making a stupid comment."

"He's smart, but he just doesn't apply it," Annabeth told her. "His instincts are always on point."

** I stared at her, trying to see the difference. She did seem more confident than before, more at peace. She didn't hide her face under a green cap anymore. She kept her hair tied back, and she looked me right in the eyes when she spoke. With a shiver, I realized that five hundred or a thousand years from now, Bianca di Angelo would look exactly the same as she did today. She might be having a conversation like this with some other half-blood long after I was dead, but Bianca would still look twelve years old. **

** "Nico didn't understand my decision," Bianca murmured. She looked at me like she wanted assurance it was okay. **

** "He'll be all right," I said. "Camp Half-Blood takes in a lot of young kids. They did that for Annabeth." **

** Bianca nodded. "I hope we find her. Annabeth, I mean. She's lucky to have a friend like you." **

** "Lot of good it did her." **

"Percy needs to stop blaming himself," Annabeth sighed. She mumbled, "Stupid fatal flaw."

"He's a really good friend," Piper noted.

"The best," Grover agreed.

** "Don't blame yourself Percy. You risked your life to save my brother and me. I mean, that was seriously brave. If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have felt okay about leaving Nico at the camp. I figured if there were people like you there, Nico would be fine. You're a good guy." **

** The compliment took me by surprise. "Even though I knocked you down in capture the flag?" **

** She laughed. "Okay. Except for that, you're a good guy." **

** A couple hundred yards away, Grover and Zoe came out of the coffee shop loaded down with pastry bags and drinks. I kind of didn't want them to come back yet. It was weird, but I realized I liked talking to Bianca. She wasn't so bad. A lot easier to hang out with than Zoe Nightshade, anyway. **

"Zoe would probably kill him after talking with him for longer than two minutes," Thalia laughed. "Also, we don't want Annie to get jealous."

"Shut up, Thalia! And don't call me Annie!" Annabeth yelled at the daughter of Zeus.

Thalia just shrugged.

** "So what's the story with you and Nico?" I asked her. "Where did you go to school before Westover?" **

** She frowned. "I think it was a boarding school in D.C. It seems like so long ago." **

** "You never lived with your parents? I mean, your mortal parent?" **

** "We were told our parents were dead. There was a bank trust for us. A lot of money, I think. A lawyer would come by once in a while to check on us. Then Nico and I had to leave that school." **

** "Why?" **

** She knit her eyebrows. "We had to go somewhere. I remember it was important. We traveled a long way. And we stayed in this hotel for a few weeks. And then… I don't know. One day a different lawyer came to get us out. He said it was time for us to leave. He drove us back east, through D.C. Then up into Maine. And we started going to Westover." **

** It was a strange story. Then again, Bianca and Nico were half-bloods. Nothing would be normal for them. **

** "So you've been raising Nico pretty much all your life?" I asked. "Just the two of you?" She nodded. "That's why I wanted to join the Hunters so bad. I mean, I know it's selfish, but I wanted my own life and friends. I love Nico—don't get me wrong—I just needed to find out what it would be like not to be a big sister twenty-four hours a day." **

** I thought about last summer, the way I'd felt when I found out I had a Cyclops for a baby brother. I could relate to what Bianca was saying. **

"Because Nico is like a cyclops," I joked.

Nico glared. "I'm not a cyclops, I don't even look close to one!"

"Actually, if you only had one eye, you could probably pass as a baby cyclops," Piper joked.

** "Zoe seems to trust you,"I said."What were you guys talking about, anyway— something dangerous about the quest?" **

"Uh oh," I said. "He just told her he eavesdropped on her and Zoe."

"You're not suppose to confess. Ever, under any circumstances," Nico added.

"And now he said the stupid thing," Thalia smiled.

** "When?" Yesterday morning on the pavilion," I said, before I could stop myself. "Something about the General." **

** Her face darkened. "How did you… The invisibility hat. Were you eavesdropping?" **

** "No! I mean, not really. I just—" I was saved from trying to explain when Zoe and Grover arrived with the drinks and pastries. Hot chocolate for Bianca and me. Coffee for them. I got a blueberry muffin, and it was so good I could almost ignore the outraged look Bianca was giving me. **

"If it's anything like Nico, I wouldn't want to see her glare," I said.

Nico smirked.

** "We should do the tracking spell," Zoe said. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?" "Umm," Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin, wrapper and all. "I think so. I just need to—" **

** He froze. **

** I was about to ask what was wrong, when a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And something else—almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning. **

** Zoe gasped. "Grover, thy cup." **

** Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away—a flock of tiny doves. My rubber rat squeaked. It scampered off the railing and into the trees—real fur, real whiskers. **

"So that's what happened when he collapsed," Thalia nodded.

"I felt the presence of Pan," Grover told her.

"Who's Pan?" I asked.

"God of the Wild," Jason told me. "Faunus in Roman."

** Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow. We gathered around him and tried to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering. **

** "Hey!" Thalia said, running up from the street. "I just… What's wrong with Grover?" **

** "I don't know," I said. "He collapsed." **

** "Uuuuuhhhh," Grover groaned. **

** "Well, get him up!" Thalia said. She had her spear in her hand. She looked behind her as if she were being followed. "We have to get out of here." **

"What's happening?" Piper asked.

"It comes up in a second," Thalia told her.

** We made it to the edge of the town before the first two skeleton warriors appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road. Instead of gray camouflage, they were now wearing blue New Mexico State Police uniforms, but they had the same transparent gray skin and yellow eyes. **

** They drew their handguns. I'll admit I used to think it would be kind of cool to learn how to shoot a gun, but I changed my mind as soon as the skeleton warriors pointed theirs at me. Thalia tapped her bracelet. Aegis spiraled to life on her arm, but the warriors didn't flinch. Their glowing yellow eyes bored right into me. **

"Of course they're after him," Annabeth sighed. "All the monsters in the world seem to be attracted to him."

"Is it really that bad?" Jason asked.

"Worse than that, other than monsters, he has Titans and other immortals that hate him," Grover told him.

"That sucks," I said.

"That's an easy way to put it."

** I drew Riptide, though I wasn't sure what good it would do against guns. **

** Zoe and Bianca drew their bows, but Bianca was having trouble because Grover kept swooning and leaning against her. **

** "Back up," Thalia said. **

** We started to—but then I heard a rustling of branches. Two more skeletons appeared on the road behind us. We were surrounded. **

** I wondered where the other skeletons were. I'd seen a dozen at the Smithsonian. Then one of the warriors raised a cell phone to his mouth and spoke into it. **

** Except he wasn't speaking. He made a clattering, clicking sound, like dry teeth on bone. Suddenly I understood what was going on. The skeletons had split up to look for us. These skeletons were now calling their brethren. Soon we'd have a full party on our hands. **

"Twelve skeletons," Jason's mouth dropped.

"I don't want to spoil it too much, but they can't be killed by us," Thalia said.

"At least now I can figure out what happened when I collapsed," Grover said.

** "It's near," Grover moaned. **

** "It's here," I said. **

** "No," he insisted. "The gift. The gift from the Wild." **

** I didn't know what he was talking about, but I was worried about his condition. He was in no shape to walk, much less fight. **

** "We'll have to go one-on-one," Thalia said. "Four of them. Four of us. Maybe they'll ignore Grover that way." **

"That never works," I grumbled. "They always try to gang up on one person and take him down."

"Like those Cyclops in Detroit. They split us up and tried to eat us," Piper said. She shuddered and rubbed her ankle.

** "Agreed," said Zoe. **

** "The Wild!" Grover moaned. **

** A warm wind blew through the canyon, rustling the trees, but I kept my eyes on the skeletons. I remembered the General gloating over Annabeth's fate. I remembered the way Luke had betrayed her. **

** And I charged. **

** The first skeleton fired. Time slowed down. I won't say I could see the bullet, but I could feel its path, the same way I felt water currents in the ocean. I deflected it off the edge of my blade and kept charging.**

"How does that work? He just senses the path?" I asked.

"I couldn't do that," Thalia replied. "All I could do was block with my shield."

"Maybe it's a Poseidon thing?" Grover said.

"Maybe, but I've never heard of that," Annabeth rubbed her chin. 

** The skeleton drew a baton and I sliced off his arms at the elbows. Then I swung Riptide through his waist and cut him in half. **

** His bones unknit and clattered to the asphalt in a heap. Almost immediately, they began to move, reassembling themselves. The second skeleton clattered his teeth at me and tried to fire, but I knocked his gun into the snow. **

** I thought I was doing pretty well, until the other two skeletons shot me in the back.**

"That's not good," Piper gulped.

** "Percy!" Thalia screamed. **

** I landed facedown in the street. Then I realized something… I wasn't dead. The impact of the bullets had been dull, like a push from behind, but they hadn't hurt me. **

** The Nemean Lion's fur! My coat was bulletproof. **

"That armor _did_ save him. I knew it!" Annabeth exclaimed.

"Sweetie, we all know that you know everything, no need to brag," Thalia said. She pulled Annabeth back into a sitting position. The rest of us laughed while she glared.

** Thalia charged the second skeleton. Zoe and Bianca started firing arrows at the third and fourth. Grover stood there and held his hands out to the trees, looking like he wanted to hug them. **

"I would pay to see that," I snickered.

** There was a crashing sound in the forest to our left, like a bulldozer. Maybe the skeletons' reinforcements were arriving. I got to my feet and ducked a police baton. The skeleton I'd cut in half was already fully re-formed, coming after me. **

** There was no way to stop them. Zoe and Bianca fired at their heads point-blank, but the arrows just whistled straight through their empty skulls. One lunged at Bianca, and I thought she was a goner, but she whipped out her hunting knife and stabbed the warrior in the chest. The whole skeleton erupted into flames, leaving a little pile of ashes and a police badge. **

** "How did you do that?" Zoe asked. **

"Child of Hades," Nico said.

"What?" Jason, Piper, and I asked.

"Children of Hades can kill those skeletons easier. We control the dead," he explained.

"That makes sense," Jason said.

** "I don't know," Bianca said nervously. "Lucky stab?" **

** "Well, do it again!" **

** Bianca tried, but the remaining three skeletons were wary of her now. They pressed us back, keeping us at baton's length. **

** "Plan?" I said as we retreated. **

** Nobody answered. The trees behind the skeletons were shivering. Branches were cracking. "A gift," Grover muttered. **

"What gift?" I asked. No one answered.

** And then, with a mighty roar, the largest pig I'd ever seen came crashing into the road. It was a wild boar, thirty feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of canoes. Its back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry. **

** "**_**REEEEEEEEET**_**!" it squealed, and raked the three skeletons aside with its tusks. The force was so great, they went flying over the trees and into the side of the mountain, where they smashed to pieces, thigh bones and arm bones twirling everywhere. **

** Then the pig turned on us. **

** Thalia raised her spear, but Grover yelled, "Don't kill it." **

** The boar grunted and pawed the ground, ready to charge. **

** "That's the Erymanthian Boar," Zoe said, trying to stay calm. "I don't think we **_**can**_** kill it." **

"Didn't Hercules beat it?" Piper asked.

"It was the fourth labor that Heracles had to take, this was before he became Hercules," Annabeth told her.

"Why do they change the names? Does it really matter what they're called?" I asked. Thunder boomed over head. "Take that as a 'yes it matters'. Thanks Zeus!" I shouted at the sky. More thunder.

** "It's a gift," Grover said. "A blessing from the Wild!" **

** The boar said "**_**REEEEEEET**_**!" and swung its tusk. Zoe and Bianca dived out of the way. I had to push Grover so he wouldn't get launched into the mountain on the Boar Tusk Express. "Yeah, I feel blessed!" I said. "Scatter!" **

** We ran in different directions, and for a moment the boar was confused. **

** "It wants to kill us!" Thalia said. **

** "Of course," Grover said. "It's wild!" **

** "So how is that a blessing?" Bianca asked. **

"Good question," Piper nodded.

** It seemed a fair question to me, but the pig was offended and charged her. She was faster than I'd realized. She rolled out of the way of its hooves and came up behind the beast. It lashed out with its tusks and pulverized the WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT sign. **

** I racked my brain, trying to remember the myth of the boar. I was pretty sure Hercules had fought this thing once, but I couldn't remember how he'd beaten it. I had a vague memory of the boar plowing down several Greek cities before Hercules managed to subdue it. I hoped Cloudcroft was insured against giant wild boar attacks. **

"Every city has that, didn't you know?" Nico joked.

We all laughed.

** "Keep moving!" Zoe yelled. She and Bianca ran in opposite directions. Grover danced around the boar, playing his pipes while the boar snorted and tried to gouge him. But Thalia and I won the prize for bad luck. When the boar turned on us, Thalia made the mistake of raising Aegis in defense. The sight of the Medusa head made the boar squeal in outrage. Maybe it looked too much like one of his relatives. The boar charged us. **

** We only managed to keep ahead of it because we ran uphill, and we could dodge in and out of trees while the boar had to plow through them. **

** On the other side of the hill, I found an old stretch of train tracks, half buried in the snow. "This way.'" I grabbed Thalia's arm and we ran along the rails while the boar roared behind us, slipping and sliding as it tried to navigate the steep hillside. Its hooves just were not made for this, thank the gods. **

"That's very convenient," Annabeth nodded. "The boar would have a hard time keeping up in those circumstances."

** Ahead of us, I saw a covered tunnel. Past that, an old trestle bridge spanning a gorge. I had a crazy idea. **

** "Follow me!" **

** Thalia slowed down—I didn't have time to ask why—but I pulled her along and she reluctantly followed. Behind us, a ten-ton pig tank was knocking down pine trees and crushing boulders under its hooves as it chased us. **

** Thalia and I ran into the tunnel and came out on the other side. **

** "No!" Thalia screamed. **

"What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"Keep reading and you'll probably figure it out," Thalia murmured.

** She'd turned as white as ice. We were at the edge of the bridge. Below, the mountain dropped away into a snow-filled gorge about seventy feet below. **

"Ah, I see," Grover said.

Annabeth and Jason nodded. I remembered her saying she wasn't a fan of heights, but I didn't know it was _that_ bad.

** The boar was right behind us. **

** "Come on!" I said. "It'll hold our weight, probably." **

** "I can't!" Thalia yelled. Her eyes were wild with fear. **

** The boar smashed into the covered tunnel, tearing through at full speed. **

** "Now!" I yelled at Thalia. **

** She looked down and swallowed. I swear she was turning green. **

** I didn't have time to process why. The boar was charging through the tunnel, straight toward us. Plan B. I tackled Thalia and sent us both sideways off the edge of the bridge, into the side of the mountain. We slid on Aegis like a snow-board, over rocks and mud and snow, racing downhill. The boar was less fortunate; it couldn't turn that fast, so all ten tons of the monster charged out onto the tiny trestle, which buckled under its weight. The boar free-fell into the gorge with a mighty squeal and landed in a snowdrift with a huge **_**POOOOOF**_**! **

"Still lovin' the sound effects," I grinned.

"Shut up, Leo," Piper laughed.

** Thalia and I skidded to a stop. We were both breathing hard. I was cut up and bleeding. Thalia had pine needles in her hair. Next to us, the wild boar was squealing and struggling. All I could see was the bristly tip of its back. It was wedged completely in the snow like Styrofoam packing. It didn't seem to be hurt, but it wasn't going anywhere, either. **

** I looked at Thalia. "You're afraid of heights." **

** Now that we were safely down the mountain, her eyes had their usual angry look. "Don't be stupid." **

"That's impossible," Annabeth joked. Thalia, Grover, and Nico laughed. Piper, Jason, and I laughed too, but not as hard.

** "That explains why you freaked out on Apollo's bus. Why you didn't want to talk about it." **

** She took a deep breath. Then she brushed the pine needles out of her hair. "If you tell anyone, I swear—" **

** "No, no," I said. "That's cool. It's just… the daughter of Zeus, the Lord of the Sky, afraid of heights?" **

"Ironic," Nico shrugged. Thalia punched him. "Ow! Sorry..."

** She was about to knock me into the snow when, above us, Grover's voice called, "Helloooooo?" **

** "Down here!" I shouted. **

** A few minutes later, Zoe, Bianca, and Grover joined us. We stood watching the wild boar struggle in the snow. **

** "A blessing of the Wild," Grover said, though he now looked agitated. **

** "I agree," Zoe said. "We must use it." **

"Are you going to ride it?" I laughed. "That sounds fun, piggy back ridding!"

"You're not far off," Grover smiled.

** "Hold up," Thalia said irritably. She still looked like 1 she'd just lost a fight with a Christmas tree. "Explain to me why you're so sure this pig is a blessing." **

** Grover looked over, distracted. "It's our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?" **

** "Fun," I said. "Like… pig cowboys." **

"That sounds fun," I grinned.

"It's not as fun as it sounds," Thalia said, rubbing her back.

Okay. Maybe I should design seats like with Festus, so it's actually comfortable.

** Grover nodded. "We need to get aboard. I wish… I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now." **

** "What's gone?"**

** Grover didn't seem to hear me. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto its back. Already the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there'd be no stopping it. Grover took out his pipes. He started playing a snappy tune and tossed an apple in front of the boar. The apple floated and spun right above the boar's nose, and the boar went nuts, straining to get it. **

I laughed at the mental image. "Can we try that with the pegasi?" I asked.

"No, they would probably trample you," Grover quickly replied.

** "Automatic steering," Thalia murmured. "Great." **

** She trudged over and jumped on behind Grover, which still left plenty of room for the rest of us. **

** Zoe and Bianca walked toward the boar. **

** "Wait a second," I said. "Do you two know what Grover is talking about—this wild blessing?" **

** "Of course," Zoe said. "Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong… I never thought I would sense that presence again." **

"The presence of Pan?" Jason guessed.

Grover and the others, minus Piper and I, nodded.

** "What presence?" **

** She stared at me like I was an idiot. "The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan." **

"That's the end," Jason said. "Who's next?"

Suddenly, we were engulfed by a bright white light. My last thought was, _oh man, more godly magic._ Then I blacked out.


	15. the Titan's Curse Ch13

Chapter 15: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Annabeth's POV**

As soon as Jason finished reading the chapter, a bright white light flashed, blinding us all. I thought about Gaea stirring, but she couldn't be this powerful already. What was going on? I blacked out. I didn't dream–which was weird;but I didn't relax.

We were in a room, about the size of the Athena cabin at camp. The walls were just plain white. Two windows on corresponding sides. Jason, Leo, Piper, Thalia, Grover, Nico, and I were sitting in a chair at a table. The books were in the center of the table, a bookmark stuck out from the book we were reading.

I didn't relax. I reached for my dagger, but found it was not there. I looked at my friends, but they either hadn't woken up or were just as confused.

"What's going on?" I said aloud.

"Beats me," Thalia shrugged.

Just then, another bright light flashed into the room. I shielded my eyes. When I opened them, I saw four people sprawled on the floor. They were all wearing purple shirts, except for one boy. One boy was wearing a orange shirt similar to the Camp Half-Blood shirts. He was at the bottom of the pile, so I couldn't make out any features, but I prayed to Athena that it was Percy. Jason and the others had woken up and were looking at the group strangely.

"Ow! What just happened?" a girl said. She had long black hair and was wearing a cloak. Like the others' shirts, it was purple.

"I don't know, but that trip was not good for my stomach," a boy complained. He was a big, bulky guy. His babyish face didn't go with the body, though.

The girl turned and noticed us for the first time. She reached down, as if grabbing a knife, but was shocked to find nothing there. Jason was studying her, looking pained. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Um..." Leo said. "Who are _you_?"

"I asked first."

"But I'm awesome!"

"Quiet!" Thalia yelled, rubbing her temples. "You're giving me a headache, Valdez!"

"Sorry," Leo said.

A note appeared out of thin air. I grabbed it and read it aloud.

_Dear Demigods,_

_ I sent you all here as a favor. I don't want to hear any of your rudeness Annabeth Chase, you should be grateful for what I have done here. Anyways, you and some... friends are going to continue to read those book Apollo gave you. That boy is an idiot, but I cannot do anything about it. You will be returned to your final places when all three books are finished. Also, time is frozen outside in the normal world. I do not want any violence, thus I have removed your weapons form all of you. Have fun and enjoy the reading!_

_Hera/Juno_

_P.S. You all have to introduce yourselves, only godly parent._

"Well, this is stupid," I decided. "How does this affect me in any way?" I asked no one in particular.

"Um... Annabeth?" Grover said nervously. I turned to him. "Look."

He pointed to the boy in the orange shirt. He was starting to get up. He had raven-black hair. He looked so much like Percy, I wanted to cry. I had to hold myself together. The boy turned and I instatly caught my breath. Percy Jackson was here. _Does he remember his past? Does he remember _me_? Is he still the same person?_

"What's going on?" he asked. He rubbed his head like he had a headache.

"That's what all of us would like to know," the girl from earlier said.

Then Percy noticed me. He smiled, that trouble-maker smile that used to annoy me, but now I've come to love. He surged forward, I did the same. We met in a kiss and embraced each other. _He remembers_, I thought. We were interrupted by Thalia shouting at us:

"Get a room you two!"

We pulled apart, blushing. The others just watched us.

"Good to have you back, Seaweed Brain," I told him.

"Good to be back. Um... were is here, exactly?" he asked.

"Well, Hera decided to send us here. We were reading some books written about your adventures. She decided to give us some more company, I guess."

"So, who is here?" he asked.

Jason stepped forward. "Jason Grace, son of Jupiter."

"Jason?" the girl asked. "It _is_ you! Where have you been the last few months?"

"Um... Hera wiped my memory," he told her.

"You mean Juno?"

"No, Hera. Greek gods exist, and are trying to unite the demigods."

"Who are you?" Piper asked.

"Reyna, daughter of Bellona," she answered.

"I'm Piper, daughter of Aphrodite," Piper said, holding out her hand. Reyna took it warily.

"Leo Valdez! Son of Hephaestus!" Leo exclaimed.

"Nico di Angelo, son of Hades," Nico said.

"Nico?" a younger girl asked. She had cinnamon colored hair and dark skin. He eyes were startling gold.

"Yeah, hi Hazel," Nico replied.

"You know her?" Thalia asked.

"She's my sister. My _other_ sister," he told us.

"Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto," she introduced herself.

"Nico to meet you," Thalia smiled. "I'm Thalia, daughter of Zeus."

"I'm Frank Zhang, son of Mars," the big guy said.

"Grover Underwood, satyr," Grover replied.

"Annabeth Chase," I said, "Daughter of Athena."

"Athena... Minerva? But she's a maiden," Reyna told me. "She shouldn't have kids."

"Oh, well... you don't want to hear the details, but it's not what your thinking," I replied embarrassed.

Percy stepped forward. "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

"We know," everyone except Jason, Piper, and Leo said.

"How do you know him?" I asked the Roman children.

"He came to our camp, just a little while ago," Hazel explained. "We were getting ready to go on a quest, then a bright light came and now we are here."

"We were reading some books written about Percy, then the light hit," I told them.

"Percy has books written about him?" Reyna asked, eyes narrowed.

"Apparently," Thalia shrugged. "Though, I don't see why."

"That's because I'm the coolest," Percy grinned.

"I'm loving this guy!" Leo exclaimed, grinning like a mad man.

"Let's read, we need to get back to our camp," Reyna commanded.

I remember Jason telling me that she was the leader of the Camp for Romans. She definitely looked the part, what with the cloak and the stern expression. The expression said, _If you break any rule I will personally feed you to wolves_. I knew that look. I gave it a lot to the Stolls and other pranksters at camp.

"How about we catch you guys up on what's happened?" Grover offered once everyone was seated. The table was big enough for us all to fit. Percy and I sat next to each other. He was on my right, Grover to my left. **(A/N I will put the seating at the end of the chapter)**.

"That's a lot to do in just a few years," Reyna said in awe.

"Is that what you meant when you said that Jupiter's master bolt 'didn't look like that' at his temple?" Hazel asked.

"Hazel, you are speaking to a Percy that has not been to camp yet, he doesn't know what happened at camp," Reyna told her.

"Oh. Forget I said that."

"Anyways," I started, "We got to chapter thirteen before being transported. Who would like to read?"

"I'll go," Hazel said happily.

Percy groaned.

"What?" I asked.

"You guys have been reading my thoughts, that's what. It's weird," he replied.

"You're weird," Nico laughed.

"In an awesome way!" Leo exclaimed.

"Thanks, Leo," Percy grinned.

I kissed him on the cheek. "Just go with it, it may not be as bad as you think," I assured him.

He leaned in, "As long as you're here, I'll go with it. Also, I want more kisses."

"Every time you do something stupid or think something stupid, I'll kiss you," I promised.

"Awesome, I'll be getting a lot of kisses." He grinned.

"Are you two done?" Thalia asked, trying to hide her laughter. We both blushed crimson red.

"Go ahead, Hazel," I told her.

"Chapter 13: **We Visit The Junkyard Of The Gods**," Hazel read.

Percy and Thalia and Grover looked down.

"Is this when-" Nico started.

"Yeah, sorry buddy," Percy replied.

"It's fine."

_It must be when Bianca sacrificed herself_ _for the quest_, I thought.

**We rode the boar until sunset, which was about as much as my back end could take. Imagine riding a giant steel brush over a bed of gravel all day. That's about how comfortable boar-riding was. **

"Very uncomfortable," Percy added.

"Sorry, but boars don't come with luxury seating," Thalia told him.

"If only..." Percy sighed. I rolled my eyes and kissed him. I keep my promises. He grinned.

** I have no idea how many miles we covered, but the mountains faded into the distance and were replaced by miles of flat, dry land. The grass and scrub brush got sparser until we were galloping (do boars gallop?) across the desert. **

** As night fell, the boar came to a stop at a creek bed and snorted. He started drinking the muddy water, then ripped a saguaro cactus out of the ground and chewed it, needles and all. "This is as far as he'll go," Grover said. "We need to get off while he's eating." **

"Smart, don't want him to turn on you," Nico said.

** Nobody needed convincing. We slipped off the boar's back while he was busy ripping up cacti. Then we waddled away as best we could with our saddle sores. **

** After its third saguaro and another drink of muddy water, the boar squealed and belched, then whirled around and galloped back toward the east. **

** "It likes the mountains better," I guessed. **

** "I can't blame it," Thalia said. "Look." **

** Ahead of us was a two-lane road half covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be a town: a boarded-up house, a taco shop that looked like it hadn't been open since before Zoe Nightshade was born, and a white stucco post office with a sign that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA hanging crooked above the door. Beyond that was a range of hills… but then I noticed they weren't regular hills. The countryside was way too flat for that. The hills were enormous mounds of old cars, appliances, and other scrap metal. It was a junkyard that seemed to go on forever. **

"Is that the Junkyard of the Gods?" Frank asked.

"Yep," Grover replied.

** "Whoa," I said. **

** "Something tells me we're not going to find a car rental here," Thalia said. She looked at Graver. "I don't suppose you got another wild boar up your sleeve?" **

"It wouldn't fit in his sleeve," Leo joked.

"Maybe, but only if it was a mini wild boar," Grover replied jokingly.

** Grover was sniffing the wind, looking nervous. He fished out his acorns and threw them into the sand, then played his pipes. They rearranged themselves in a pattern that made no sense to me, but Grover looked concerned. **

** "That's us," he said. "Those five nuts right there." **

** "Which one is me?" I asked. **

** "The little deformed one," Zoe suggested. **

** "Oh, shut up." **

We all laughed while Percy pouted.

"That was the nicest thing she said to me at the time," he said.

"That's good, she's warming up to you," Piper smiled. She obviously liked Percy as a person, hopefully she knew that he was _mine_.

** "That cluster right there," Grover said, pointing to the left, "that's trouble." **

** "A monster?" Thalia asked. **

** Grover looked uneasy. "I don't smell anything, which doesn't make sense. But the acorns don't lie. Our next challenge…" **

** He pointed straight toward the junkyard. With the sunlight almost gone now, the hills of metal looked like something on an alien planet. **

"Only you, Seaweed Brain," I kissed his cheek.

"That's not fair, I wanted a real kiss," Percy protested.

"Are you really arguing with Annabeth?" Jason asked.

"Yeah? Why? Do you not?"

"No, she's scary," Leo replied looking nervous.

"Thank you," I smiled. "But Percy can never hold his tongue, so I'm used to it."

"You got guts," Jason told him.

Percy laughed. "And iron skin."

"What?" Everyone except Thalia, Nico, Grover, and I asked.

"Nothing, it happens later," he waved it off.

** We decided to camp for the night and try the junkyard in the morning. None of us wanted to go Dumpster-diving in the dark. **

** Zoe and Bianca produced five sleeping bags and foam mattresses out of their backpacks. I don't know how they did it, because the packs were tiny, but must've been enchanted to hold so much stuff. I'd noticed their bows and quivers were also magic. I never really thought about it, but when the Hunters needed them, they just appeared slung over their backs. And when they didn't, they were gone. **

** The night got chilly fast, so Grover and I collected old boards from the ruined house, and Thalia zapped them with an electric shock to start a campfire. Pretty soon we were about as comfy as you can get in a rundown ghost town in the middle of nowhere. **

"So pretty comfy?" Nico asked.

"Amazing," Grover said to him.

** "The stars are out," Zoe said. **

** She was right. There were millions of them, with no city lights to turn the sky orange. "Amazing," Bianca said. "I've never actually seen the Milky Way." **

** "This is nothing," Zoe said. "In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution." **

"It's really sad," Grover sighed.

"You seem different from a faun," Reyna decided.

"What are fauns like?"

"They don't much except for beg and stay at the camp," Frank answered.

"They don't work for the camp? Finding half-bloods and bringing them there?"

"No. Is that what you Greeks do?" Reyna asked.

"Yeah," I said. "The satyrs find half-bloods and bring them to camp."

"What camp?" Hazel asked.

"Camp half-Blood," Percy said wistfully. I'd forgotten that he'd been got for months, so he missed his home.

"Oh, it's a Greek camp," Reyna said.

"Problem?" Thalia raised an eyebrow.

"No, it's just different, that's all."

** "You talk like you're not human," I said. **

** Zoe raised an eyebrow. "I am a Hunter. I care what happens to the wild places of the world. Can the same be said for thee?" **

** "For **_**you**_**," Thalia corrected. "Not **_**thee**_**" **

** "But you use you for the beginning of a sentence." **

** "And for the end," Thalia said. "No **_**thou**_**. No **_**thee**_**. Just **_**you**_**"**

** Zoe threw up her hands in exasperation. "I **_**hate**_** this language. It changes too often!" **

"English isn't that bad, right?" Leo asked.

"It does change a lot," I said. "Like, every few decades."

**Grover sighed. He was still looking up at the stars like he was thinking about the light pollution problem. "If only Pan were here, he would set things right." **

"Pan?" the Romans asked.

"Faunus for us," Jason clarified. He looked a little nervous sitting between Reyna and Piper, both of whom could seriously hurt him and each other.

** Zoe nodded sadly. **

** "Maybe it was the coffee," Grover said. "I was drinking coffee, and the wind came. Maybe if I drank more coffee…" **

** I was pretty sure coffee had nothing to do with what had happened in Cloudcroft, but I didn't have the heart to tell Grover. I thought about the rubber rat and the tiny birds that had suddenly come alive when the wind blew. "Grover, do you really think that was Pan? I mean, I know you **_**want**_** it to be." **

** "He sent us help," Grover insisted. "I don't know how or why. But it was his presence. After this quest is done, I'm going back to New Mexico and drinking a lot of coffee. It's the best lead we've gotten in two thousand years. I was so close." **

** I didn't answer. I didn't want to squash Grover's hopes. **

** "What I want to know," Thalia said, looking at Bianca, "is how you destroyed one of the zombies. There are a lot more out there somewhere. We need to figure out how to fight them." Bianca shook her head. "I don't know. I just stabbed it and it went up in flames." **

"Is it because she is daughter of Pluto?" Reyna asked.

"Hades," Nico corrected, "But yes. It was because of that."

** "Maybe there's something special about your knife," I said. **

** "It is the same as mine," Zoe said. "Celestial bronze, yes. But mine did not affect the warriors that way." **

** "Maybe you have to hit the skeleton in a certain spot," I said. **

** Bianca looked uncomfortable with everybody paying attention to her. **

"Just like Nico," Thalia joked.

"Hey!" Nico protested.

"Be quiet, Death Breath, you know it's true."

** "Never mind," Zoe told her. "We will find the answer. In the meantime, we should plan our next move. When we get through this junkyard, we must continue west. If we can find a road, we can hitchhike to the nearest city. I think that would be Las Vegas." **

Percy, Grover, Nico, and I shuddered at the reminder of the Lout Hotel and Casino.

** I was about to protest that Grover and I had had bad experiences in that town, but Bianca beat us to it. **

** "No!" she said. "Not there!"**

** She looked really freaked out, like she'd just been dropped off the steep end of a roller coaster. **

** Zoe frowned. "Why?" **

** Bianca took a shaky breath. "I… I think we stayed there for a while. Nico and I. When we were traveling. And then, I can't remember…" **

"And here is the bad part," Percy whispered to me and Grover.

**Suddenly I had a really bad thought. I remembered what Bianca had told me about Nico and her staying in a hotel for a while. I met Grover's eyes, and I got the feeling he was thinking the same thing. **

** "Bianca," I said. "That hotel you stayed at. Was it possibly called the Lotus Hotel and Casino?" **

** Her eyes widened. "How could you know that?" **

** "Oh, great," I said. **

** "Wait," Thalia said. "What is the Lotus Casino?" **

"That's what we want to know," Jason and Piper sighed.

** "A couple of years ago," I said, "Grover, Annabeth, and I got trapped there. It's designed so you never want to leave. We stayed for about an hour. When we came out, five days had passed. It makes time speed up." **

"That's scary. Time speeds up, but you stay the same age?" Piper said.

"Yeah, and it was worse for Nico and Bianca," Percy told her.

** "No," Bianca said. "No, that's not possible." **

** "You said somebody came and got you out," I remembered. **

** "Yes." **

** "What did he look like? What did he say?" **

"Percy, you're making her nervous, let her talk," Hazel told him.

"Sorry, I was really worried about it. That was a bad place," Percy shuddered at the thought. I didn't need to read minds to know that he was thinking about what would have happened if we never left.

** "I… I don't remember. Please, I really don't want to talk about this." **

** Zoe sat forward, her eyebrows knit with concern. "You said that Washington, D.C., had changed when you went back last summer. You didn't remember the subway being there." **

** "Yes, but—" **

** "Bianca," Zoe said, "can you tell me the name of the president of the United States right now?" **

** "Don't be silly," Bianca said. She told us the correct name of the president. **

** "And who was the president before that?" Zoe asked. **

** Bianca thought for a while. "Roosevelt." **

** Zoe swallowed. "Theodore or Franklin'?" **

** "Franklin," Bianca said. "F.D.R." **

** "Like FDR Drive?" I asked. Because seriously, that's about all I knew about F.D.R.**

"Really, Percy?" Nico shook his head, same as me.

"When we get back, I'm making you read some more books about history," I told him.

He groaned. "Can't you just teach it to me? Then we can spend time together."

"We'll see, but you _are_ going to learn."

"I can deal with that."

** "Bianca," Zoe said. "F.D.R. was not the last president. That was about seventy years ago." **

"You're over seventy years old?" Frank choked.

"Yeah, I don't like to talk about it though," Nico replied softly.

"That's fine, just making sure I know," Frank said. He seemed like a good person.

**"That's impossible," Bianca said. "I… I'm not that old." **

** She stared at her hands as if to make sure they weren't wrinkled. **

** Thalia's eyes turned sad. I guess she knew what it was like to get pulled out of time for a while. "It's okay, Bianca, The important thing is you and Nico are safe. You made it out." **

** "But how?" I said. "We were only in there for an hour and we barely escaped. How could you have escaped after being there for so long?" **

"Percy, you really aren't helping," I told him.

"I know that _now_," he replied with a smile. He then kissed me before I could react. We stayed like that until someone cleared his/her throat.

"Are you two done?" Reyna asked.

"Sorry, we've been apart too long," I told her.

She nodded and motioned for Hazel to continue reading.

** "I told you." Bianca looked about ready to cry. "A man came and said it was time to leave. And—" **

** "But who? Why did he do it?" **

** Before she could answer, we were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere. I was half hoping it was Apollo, come to give us a ride again, but the engine was way too silent for the sun chariot, and besides, it was nighttime. We grabbed our sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of us. **

Percy's eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" I whispered to him.

"Nothing, just nervous that's all," he replied.

He was hiding something, but I didn't press him. Mainly because I was about to find out what happened.

** The back door of the limo opened right next to me. Before I could step away, the point of a sword touched my throat. **

"Great first impression," Leo joked.

"Not my first time meeting him," Percy growled.

Leo ducked for some reason.

** I heard the sound of Zoe and Bianca drawing their bows. As the owner of the sword got out of the car, I moved back very slowly. I had to, because he was pushing the point under my chin. **

** He smiled cruelly. "Not so fast now, are you, punk?" **

"Really?" I shouted. "He just can't let it go!"

"Who?" Reyna asked.

"Just wait, it'll come up."

** He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but I knew what was behind those glasses—hollow sockets filled with flames. **

** "Ares," I growled. **

"Mars," Reyna said. "Why is he there?"

Thalia, Grover, and Percy shook their heads.

"Well, Grover and I don't know," Thalia started.

"And I wont tell," Percy finished.

** The war god glanced at my friends. "At ease, people." **

** He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground. **

** "This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under my chin. "Of course I'd **_**like**_** to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady." **

** "What lady?" Thalia asked. **

** Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back." **

"What does he mean by _back_?" Frank asked.

"I was a tree then Percy and Annabeth helped revive me," Thalia explained.

"You were a tree?" Hazel asked.

"It's a-"

"Long story. Got it," Reyna stated.

**He lowered his sword and pushed me away. **

** "Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company." **

** "What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?" **

** Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not **_**them**_**." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes." **

** "We will not leave him alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said. **

** "Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed." **

"That's what you were concerned about?" Leo laughed.

"Sorry, but I was thinking it would be an excuse to stay," Grover defended.

** Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?" **

"Hehe, Goat Boy," Thalia snickered.

"You know I hate that nickname," Grover complained.

"That's why we say it," Nico laughed.

** "Go on," I told my friends. "I'll handle this." **

** I tried to sound more confident than I felt. I don't think Ares was fooled. **

** "You heard the boy," Ares said. "He's big and strong. He's got things under control." **

** My friends reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant. Ares regarded me with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur. **

** "Get inside, punk," he said. "And mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am." **

"Who?" I asked.

Percy was blushing bright red. "You'll see."

** When I saw her, my jaw dropped. **

** I forgot my name. I forgot where I was. I forgot how to speak in complete sentences. **

** She was wearing a red satin dress and her hair was curled in a cascade of ringlets. Her face was the most beautiful I'd ever seen: perfect makeup, dazzling eyes, a smile that would've lit up the dark side of the moon. **

** Thinking back on it, I can't tell you who she looked like. Or even what color her hair or her eyes were. Pick the most beautiful actress you can think of. The goddess was ten times more beautiful than that. Pick your favorite hair color, eye color, whatever. The goddess had that. When she smiled at me, just for a moment she looked a little like Annabeth. Then like this television actress I used to have a crush on in fifth grade. Then… well, you get the idea. **

"Aww, Aphrodite looks like me to you?" I grinned at Percy, who was now the color of one of Apollo's sacred cattle.

"Yes," he managed.

"That's sweet," Piper gushed.

"Who was the actress?" Leo asked.

"Not important," I told him. I kissed Percy on the lips as Hazel continued to read.

**"Ah, there you are, Percy," the goddess said. "I am Aphrodite." **

** I slipped into the seat across from her and said something like, "Um uh gah." **

** She smiled. "Aren't you sweet. Hold this, please." **

** She handed me a polished mirror the size of a dinner plate and had me hold it up for her. She leaned forward and dabbed at her lipstick, though I couldn't see anything wrong with it. **

** "Do you know why you're here?" she asked. **

** I wanted to respond. Why couldn't I form a complete sentence? She was only a lady. A seriously beautiful lady. With eyes like pools of spring water… Whoa. **

"Snap out of it," Piper said. "She is always like that."

"You've met her?" Percy asked.

"She's my mom," Piper grumbled.

"I can see it now, just not before."

"What do you mean?"

"Um... Pipes?" Jason said nervously. "Might want to look in the mirror."

Piper looked at her reflection on the table and gasped. She had perfect makeup on. He outfit changed into a turquoise dress. She had a wool jacket on over that. "Mother!" she yelled.

"That's a blast from the past," Leo whistled. "Aphrodite strike for a third time. Hey, did she give you your allowance?"

"No, and stop asking for money," Piper grumbled.

"You remind me of the Stolld, Leo," Percy chuckled.

"Those guys are awesome! Best pranksters and jokers at camp."

** I pinched my own arm, hard. **

** "I… I don't know," I managed. **

** "Oh, dear," Aphrodite said. "Still in denial?" **

** Outside the car, I could hear Ares chuckling. I had a feeling he could hear every word we said. The idea of him being out there made me angry, and that helped clear my mind. **

** "I don't know what you're talking about," I said. **

** "Well then, why are you on this quest?" **

** "Artemis has been captured!" **

** Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Oh, Artemis. **_**Please**_**. Talk about a hopeless case. I mean, if they were going to kidnap a goddess, she should be breathtakingly beautiful, don't you think? I pity the poor dears who have to imprison Artemis. Bo-ring!" **

"Lady Artemis wouldn't like that comment," Thalia grumbled.

"Not like anything will happen," Nico shrugged.

** "But she was chasing a monster," I protested. "A really, really bad monster. We have to find it!" **

** Aphrodite made me hold the mirror a little higher. She seemed to have found a microscopic problem at the corner of her eye and dabbed at her mascara. "Always some monster. But my dear Percy, that is why the **_**others**_** are on this quest. I'm more interested in **_**you**_**." **

** My heart pounded. I didn't want to answer, but her eyes drew an answer right out of my mouth. "Annabeth is in trouble." **

"Aww!" the girls cooed.

"Percy is too sweet," Reyna noted.

"You should have seen him in the battle," Nico shuddered.

"What battle?"

"It happens later."

** Aphrodite beamed. "Exactly!" **

** "I have to help her," I said. "I've been having these dreams." **

** "Ah, you even dream about her! That's so **_**cute**_**!"**

"Yes, very cute, Percy," Thalia smirked.

"This chapter is so embarrassing," Percy mumbled.

"I like this chapter, it tells me how much you cared." I kissed his cheek.

** "No! I mean… that's not what I meant." **

** She made a **_**tsk**_**-**_**tsk**_** sound. "Percy, I'm on your side. I'm the reason you're here, after all." **

** I stared at her. "What?" **

** "The poisoned T-shirt the Stoll brothers gave Phoebe," she said. "Did you think that was an accident? Sending Blackjack to find you? Helping you sneak out of the camp?" **

"_She_ did all that!" Thalia yelled. "I'm going to strangle her."

"Calm down, Thalia," I told the Hunter, "Everything's okay."

Sh relaxed a little, but was still trembling with anger.

** "**_**You**_** did that?" **

"Thank you, Percy," Thalia told my boyfriend.

"No problem," he smiled.

** "Of course! Because really, how boring these Hunters are! A quest for some monster, blah blah blah. Saving Artemis. Let her stay lost, I say. But a quest for true love—" **

** "Wait a second, I never said—" **

** "Oh, my dear. You don't need to say it. You do know Annabeth was close to joining the Hunters, don't you?" **

I looked down. "That was before I realized the truth," I told Percy.

"I know, but I would have gotten you to break your vow, so it wouldn't have mattered," Percy replied with a kiss on the cheek.

** I blushed. "I wasn't sure—" **

** "She was about to throw her life away! And you, my dear, you can save her from that. It's so romantic!" **

** "Uh…" **

** "Oh, put the mirror down," Aphrodite ordered. "I look fine." **

** I hadn't realized I was still holding it, but as soon as I put it down, I noticed my arms were sore. **

** "Now listen, Percy," Aphrodite said. "The Hunters are your enemies. Forget them and Artemis and the monster. That's not important. You just concentrate on finding and saving Annabeth." **

** "Do you know where she is?" **

** Aphrodite waved her hand irritably. "No, no. I leave the details to you. But it's been ages since we've had a good tragic love story." **

"Tragic?" the demigods asked.

** "Whoa, first of all, I never said anything about love. And second, what's up with **_**tragic**_**!" "Love conquers all," Aphrodite promised. "Look at Helen and Paris. Did they let anything come between them?" **

"They started the Trojan war," Reyna pointed out.

"She said the same thing to me when I met her," Piper grumbled.

** "Didn't they start the Trojan War and get thousands of people killed?" **

** "Pfft. That's not the point. Follow your heart." **

** "But… I don't know where it's going. My heart, I mean." **

"Oh Seaweed Brain," I sighed, then honored my promise, again, and kissed him.

"I love this deal," Percy smirked.

"It ends at the end of this book."

"Aww, that's not fair!"

"You sound like a three year old," Thalia groaned.

"I'm still a kid on the inside," Percy told her.

"And on the outside," Hazel snickered..

"I heard that!"

** She smiled sympathetically. She really was beautiful. And not just because she had a pretty face or anything. She believed in love so much, it was impossible not to feel giddy when she talked about it. **

** "Not knowing is half the fun," Aphrodite said. "Exquisitely painful, isn't it? Not being sure who you love and who loves you? Oh, you kids! It's so cute I'm going to cry." **

** "No, no," I said. "Don't do that." **

** "And don't worry," she said. "I'm not going to let this be easy and boring for you. No, I have some wonderful surprises in store. Anguish. Indecision. Oh, you just wait." **

"I really hate her for that," I growled.

"It's okay, everything worked out in the end," Percy put his arm around me.

** "That's really okay," I told her. "Don't go to any trouble." **

** "You're so cute. I wish all my daughters could break the heart of a boy as nice as you." Aphrodite's eyes were tearing up. "Now, you'd better go. And do be careful in my husband's territory, Percy. Don't take anything. He is awfully fussy about his trinkets and trash." **

** "What?" I asked. "You mean Hephaestus?" **

"Dad!" Leo exclaimed.

"How come you are not big like other Vulcan children?" Reyna asked.

"Because I'm a special kind of Vulcan! I and the Super-sized McShizzle: Leo Valdez!" Leo stood up and put his foot on the table.

"Leo, get of the table," Piper scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Beauty Queen."

"Don't call me that."

** But the car door opened and Ares grabbed my shoulder, pulling me out of the car and back into the desert night. **

** My audience with the goddess of love was over. **

"That must have sucked," Leo frowned.

"Not even, I was relieved. It embarrassed me at that age to talk about love and stuff," Percy shrugged.

**"You're lucky, punk." Ares pushed me away from the limo. "Be grateful." **

** "For what?" **

** "That we're being so nice. If it was up to me—" **

** "So why haven't you killed me?" I shot back. It was a stupid thing to say to the god of war, but being around him always made me feel angry and reckless. **

** Ares nodded, like I'd finally said something intelligent. **

** "I'd love to kill you, seriously," he said. "But see, I got a situation. Word on Olympus is that you might start the biggest war in history. I can't risk messing that up. Besides, Aphrodite thinks you're some kinda soap-opera star or something. I kill you, that makes me look bad with her. But don't worry. I haven't forgotten my promise. Some day soon, kid—real soon— you're going to raise your sword to fight, and you're going to remember the wrath of Ares."**

** I balled my fists. "Why wait? I beat you once. How's that ankle healing up?" **

"How have you not been killed?" Frank asked.

Percy shrugged. "They can't kill me."

"Yeah, _right_," I laughed. "They're scared of what your dad will do to them, always threatening to start a war if you're harmed and all that."

"Hey! I can defend myself!"

"What did you mean when you said 'I beat you once'?" Reyna asked. Her eyes narrowed–as if she were trying to get the truth out of us.

"Um... I fought him when I was twelve," Percy sheepishly told her.

"Twelve," she repeated.

"Yeah..."

"How are you not dead!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Because he's awesome!" Leo yelled.

"Thanks man," Percy gave him a fist bump.

** He grinned crookedly. "Not bad, punk. But you got nothing on the master of taunts. I'll start the fight when I'm good and ready. Until then… Get lost." **

** He snapped his fingers and the world did a three-sixty, spinning in a cloud of red dust. I fell to the ground. **

** When I stood up again, the limousine was gone. The road, the taco restaurant, the whole town of Gila Claw was gone. My friends and I were standing in the middle of the junkyard, mountains of scrap metal stretched out in every direction. **

** "What did she **_**want**_** with you?" Bianca asked, once I'd told them about Aphrodite. **

** "Oh, uh, not sure," I lied. "She said to be careful in her husband's junkyard. She said not to pick anything up." **

** Zoe narrowed her eyes. "The goddess of love would not make a special trip to tell thee that. Be careful, Percy. Aphrodite has led many heroes astray." **

** "For once I agree with Zoe," Thalia said. "You can't trust Aphrodite." **

** Grover was looking at me funny. Being empathic and all, he could usually read my emotions, and I got the feeling he knew exactly what Aphrodite had talked to me about. **

"I did," Grover told Percy. "But I knew you didn't want to talk about it."

"Thanks G-man," Percy gave him a thumbs up.

** "So," I said, anxious to change the subject, "how do we get out of here?" **

** "That way," Zoe said. "That is west." **

** "How can you tell?" **

** In the light of the full moon, I was surprised how well I could see her roll her eyes at me. "Ursa Major is in the north," she said, "which means **_**that**_** must be west." **

** She pointed west, then at the northern constellation, which was hard to make out because there were so many other stars. **

** "Oh, yeah," I said. "The bear thing." **

** Zoe looked offended. "Show some respect. It was a fine bear. A worthy opponent." **

** "You act like it was real." **

"I _was_ real," Thalia said.

"I know all this stuff _now_, do you really have to correct me?" Percy asked.

"Yep," I smiled at him. I leaned into his body and rested there.

"Best seat in the house," Percy joked.

"I know."

** "Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!" **

** We'd reached the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors. **

** "Whoa," Bianca said. "That stuff… some of it looks like real gold." **

** "It is," Thalia said grimly. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods." **

** "Junk?" Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side, as if it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?" **

** He bit off a point and began to chew. "It's delicious!" **

** Thalia swatted the crown out of his hands. "I'm serious!" **

** "Look!" Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!" **

** She yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon. "It's just like Percys sword!" **

** Zoe's face was grim. "Leave it, Bianca." **

** "But—" **

** "It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must stay in this yard. It is defective. Or cursed." **

** Bianca reluctantly set the hair clip down. **

** "I don't like this place," Thalia said. She gripped the shaft of her spear. **

** "You think we're going to get attacked by killer refrigerators?" I asked. **

"You are so much like Leo it's scary," Piper shuddered.

"I'm taking that as a compliment," Percy smiled.

"It's not one," I whispered to him.

"I'm still acting like it's a good thing," Percy smiled back. He leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I think Leo's cool, he's got a sense of humor. Everyone else can be pretty serious."

"That's because we just fought a war."

"Whatever, Wise Girl."

** She gave me a hard look. "Zoe is right, Percy. Things get thrown away here for a reason. Now come on, let's get across the yard." **

** "That's the second time you've agreed with Zoe," I muttered, but Thalia ignored me. **

** We started picking our way through the hills and valleys of junk. The stuff seemed to go on forever, and if it hadn't been for Ursa Major, we would've gotten lost. All the hills pretty much looked the same. **

** I'd like to say we left the stuff alone, but there was too much cool junk not to check out some of it. I found an electric guitar shaped like Apollo's lyre that was so sweet I had to pick it up. Grover found a broken tree made out of metal. It had been chopped to pieces, but some of the branches still had golden birds in them, and they whirred around when Grover picked them up, trying to flap their wings. **

** Finally, we saw the edge of the junkyard about half a mile ahead of us, the lights of a highway stretching through the desert. But between us and the road… **

** "What is that?" Bianca gasped **

** Ahead of us was a hill much bigger and longer than the others. It was like a metal mesa, the length of a football field and as tall as goalposts. At one end of the mesa was a row of ten thick metal columns, wedged tightly together. **

Nico frowned then grimaced. "Are those the ones?" he asked.

"Yes," Thalia told him.

He started to growl like a hellhound, which was pretty frightening, other than the fact that his clothes did not make him look scary.

** Bianca frowned. "They look like—" **

** "Toes," Grover said. **

** Bianca nodded. "Really, really large toes." **

** Zoe and Thalia exchanged nervous looks. **

** "Let's go around," Thalia said. "**_**Far**_** around." **

** "But the road is right over there," I protested. "Quicker to climb over." **

_**Ping**_**. **

** Thalia hefted her spear and Zoe drew her bow, but then I realized it was only Grover. He had thrown a piece of scrap metal at the toes and hit one, making a deep echo, as if the column were hollow. **

"Why did you do that?" Reyna asked Grover.

"It comes up in a second," Grover assured her.

** "Why did you do that?" Zoe demanded. **

** Grover cringed. "I don't know. I, uh, don't like fake feet?" **

** "Come on." Thalia looked at me. "Around." **

** I didn't argue. The toes were starting to freak me out, too. I mean, who sculpts ten-foottall metal toes and sticks them in a junkyard? **

** After several minutes of walking, we finally stepped onto the highway, an abandoned but well-lit stretch of black asphalt. **

** "We made it out," Zoe said. "Thank the gods." **

** But apparently the gods didn't want to be thanked. At that moment, I heard a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal. **

"Is that-" I started, wide eyes.

"Yeah," Percy frowned at the remembrance.

** I whirled around. Behind us, the scrap mountain was boiling, rising up. The ten toes tilted over, and I realized why they looked like toes. They were toes. The thing that rose up from the metal was a bronze giant in full Greek battle armor. He was impossibly tall—a skyscraper with legs and arms. He gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. He looked down at us, and his face was deformed. The left side was partially melted off. His joints creaked with rust, and across his armored chest, written in thick dust by some giant finger, were the words WASH ME. **

"That would be funny if it wasn't completely terrifying," Jason said. "That's bigger than most monsters..."

"_All_ monsters," Piper corrected.

"Right, how did you survive that?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Percy said darkly.

"We'll wait," Piper intervened, shooting Jason a nervous look.

** "Talos!" Zoe gasped. **

"Not Talos!" Leo gasped. "Who's Talos?"

** "Who—who's Talos?" I stuttered. **

** "One of Hephaestus's creations," Thalia said. "But that can't be the original. It's too small. A prototype, maybe. A defective model." **

"Too small?" Jason asked in disbelief.

"How big was the original?" Frank asked wide eyed.

"No clue," Thalia admitted.

** The metal giant didn't like the word **_**defective**_**. **

"Most people and machines wouldn't," Leo agreed.

** He moved one hand to his sword belt and drew his weapon. The sound of it coming out of its sheath was horrible, metal screeching against metal. The blade was a hundred feet long, easy. It looked rusty and dull, but I didn't figure that mattered. Getting hit with that thing would be like getting hit with a battleship. **

** "Someone took something," Zoe said. "Who took something?" **

** She stared accusingly at me. **

** I shook my head. "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief." **

** Bianca didn't say anything. I could swear she looked guilty, but I didn't have much time to think about it, because the giant defective Talos took one step toward us, closing half the distance and making the ground shake. **

** "Run!" Grover yelped. **

** Great advice, except that it was hopeless. At a leisurely stroll, this thing could outdistance us easily. **

"You need to work on looking on the bright side of things," Piper said.

"I try, but I'm normally in a bad situation," Percy replied.

"You, sir, are a ray of sunshine," Jason pointed at Percy.

** We split up, the way we'd done with the Nemean Lion. Thalia drew her shield and held it up as she ran down the highway. The giant swung his sword and took out a row of power lines, which exploded in sparks and scattered across Thalia's path. **

** Zoe's arrows whistled toward the creature's face but shattered harmlessly against the metal. Grover brayed like a baby goat and went climbing up a mountain of metal. **

** Bianca and I ended up next to each other, hiding behind a broken chariot. **

** "You took something," I said. "That bow." **

** "No!" she said, but her voice was quivering. **

** "Give it back!" I said. "Throw it down!" **

"I don't think that would work," I said sadly.

"I wish it had," Nico groaned.

"Is this when your sister-" Hazel started.

"Yes," he snapped.

How did Hazel know about Nico's sister? She was from the Roman camp. Did that mean Nico knew about both camps, but didn't say anything?  
>"Hazel, how do you know Nico's sister?" I asked her.<p>

"He told me that she died when he found me. Why?"

I turned to Nico. "You knew about both camps? And you didn't tell us!"

"I swore on the Styx not to say anything! I'm sorry!" Nico pleaded.

"It's fine, but I would have been nice during our search for Percy," I grumbled.

Percy put his arm around me. "It's okay, I'm here now. I'll always be there for you."  
>"That's sweet," I told him as I leaned back against him.<p>

** "I… I didn't take the bow! Besides, it's too late." **

** "What did. you take?" **

** Before she could answer, I heard a massive creaking noise, and a shadow blotted out the sky. **

** "Move!" I tore down the hill, Bianca right behind me, as the giant's foot smashed a crater in the ground where we'd been hiding. **

** "Hey, Talos!" Grover yelled, but the monster raised his sword, looking down at Bianca and me. **

** Grover played a quick melody on his pipes. Over at the highway, the downed power lines began to dance. I understood what Grover was going to do a split second before it happened. One of the poles with power lines still attached flew toward Talos's back leg and wrapped around his calf The lines sparked and sent a jolt of electricity up the giant's backside. **

** Talos whirled around, creaking and sparking. Grover had bought us a few seconds. "Come on!" I told Bianca. But she stayed frozen. **

** From her pocket, she brought out a small metal figurine, a statue of a god. "It… it was for Nico. It was the only statue he didn't have." **

"Is that what you meant when you gave it to me?" Nico asked Percy.

"Yeah, sorry man," Percy told him.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted the way I had, I was just upset, that's all."

"It's cool. But I think you should still enjoy your childhood, not just stick with the dead. Maybe spend some time at camp."

"You don't stay in the Hades Cabin?" Jason asked.

"No, that place is creepier than the Underworld," Nico told him.

"I guess... but still, you should at least spend time at camp."

"I'll think about it."

Jason and Percy seemed happy about that. The Romans looked a little confused about the whole 'Hades Cabin' and the way we run our camp.

** "How can you think of Mythomagic at a time like this?" I said.**

** There were tears in her eyes. **

** "Throw it down," I said. "Maybe the giant will leave us alone." **

** She dropped it reluctantly, but nothing happened. **

** The giant kept coming after Grover. It stabbed its sword into a junk hill, missing Grover by a few feet, but scrap metal made an avalanche over him, and then I couldn't see him anymore. "No!" Thalia yelled. She pointed her spear, and a blue arc of lightning shot out, hitting the monster in his rusty knee, which buckled. The giant collapsed, but immediately started to rise again. It was hard to tell if it could feel anything. There weren't any emotions in its halfmelted face, but I got the sense that it was about as ticked off as a twenty-story-tall metal warrior could be. **

** He raised his foot to stomp and I saw that his sole was treaded like the bottom of a sneaker. There was a hole in his heel, like a large manhole, and there were red words painted around it, which I deciphered only after the foot came down: FOR MAINTENANCE ONLY. "Crazy-idea time," I said. **

"Yay, another one of Percy's famous ideas," Thalia laughed.

"Are they really that bad?" Reyna asked.

"Sometimes," I replied.

** Bianca looked at me nervously. "Anything." **

** I told her about the maintenance hatch. "There may be a way to control the thing. Switches or something. I'm going to get inside." **

** "How? You'll have to stand under its foot! You'll be crushed" **

** "Distract it," I said. "I'll just have to time it right." **

** Bianca's jaw tightened. "No. I'll go." **

** "You can't. You're new at this! You'll die." **

"I wish she listened to you," Nico mumbled. Hazel patted his shoulder.

**"It's my fault the monster came after us," she said. "It's my responsibility. Here." She picked up the little god statue and pressed it into my hand. "If anything happens, give that to Nico. Tell him… tell him I'm sorry." **

** "Bianca, no!" **

** But she wasn't waiting for me. She charged at the monster's left foot. **

** Thalia had its attention for the moment. She'd learned that the giant was big but slow. If you could stay close to it and not get smashed, you could run around it and stay alive. At least, it was working so far. **

** Bianca got right next to the giant's foot, trying to balance herself on the metal scraps that swayed and shifted with his weight. **

** Zoe yelled, "What are you doing?" **

** "Get it to raise its foot!" she said. **

** Zoe shot an arrow toward the monster's face and it flew straight into one nostril. The giant straightened and shook its head. **

** "Hey, Junk Boy!" I yelled. "Down here." **

"That takes guts," Jason nodded.

"Also, you have to be insane to do that," Thalia added.

"Then we're good, because we all are crazy!" Leo grinned.

"_Some_ of us are crazy," Piper corrected. "Actually, only you, Percy, and _maybe_ Jason are crazy."

** I ran up to its big toe and stabbed it with Riptide. The magic blade cut a gash in the bronze. **

** Unfortunately, my plan worked. Talos looked down at me and raised his foot to squash me like a bug. I didn't see what Bianca was doing. I had to turn and run. The foot came down about two inches behind me and I was knocked into the air. I hit something hard and sat up, dazed. I'd been thrown into an Olympus-Air refrigerator. **

Everyone winced.

"That must have hurt like Hades," Jason said.

"It wouldn't hurt me _now_," Percy shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Reyna asked. She narrowed her eyes again. Did she really not trust us or is she trying to figure out what he means?

** The monster was about to finish me off, but Grover somehow dug himself out of the junk pile. He played his pipes frantically, and his music sent another power line pole whacking against Talos's thigh. The monster turned. Grover should've run, but he must've been too exhausted from the effort of so much magic. He took two steps, fell, and didn't get back up. **

** "Grover!" Thalia and I both ran toward him, but I knew we'd be too late. **

** The monster raised his sword to smash Grover. Then he froze. **

** Talos cocked his head to one side, like he was hearing strange new music. He started moving his arms and legs in weird ways, doing the Funky Chicken. Then he made a fist and punched himself in the face. **

** "Go, Bianca!" I yelled. **

** Zoe looked horrified. "She is **_**inside**_**?" **

**The monster staggered around, and I realized we were still in danger. Thalia and I grabbed Grover and ran with him toward the highway. Zoe was already ahead of us. She yelled, "How will Bianca get out?" **

"She wont," Percy whispered so low that only I heard it.

I squeezed his arm, making him know that it wasn't his fault. He smiled at me.

** The giant hit itself in the head again and dropped his sword. A shudder ran through his whole body and he staggered toward the power lines. **

** "Look out!" I yelled, but it was too late. **

** The giant's ankle snared the lines, and blue flickers of electricity shot up his body. I hoped the inside was insulated. I had no idea what was going on in there. The giant careened back into the junkyard, and his right hand fell off, landing in the scrap metal with a horrible **_**CLANG**_**! **

** His left arm came loose, too. He was falling apart at the joints. **

** Talos began to run. **

** "Wait!" Zoe yelled. We ran after him, but there was no way we could keep up. Pieces of the robot kept falling off, getting in our way. **

** The giant crumbled from the top down: his head, his chest, and finally, his legs collapsed. When we reached the wreckage we searched frantically, yelling Bianca's name. We crawled around in the vast hollow pieces and the legs and the head. We searched until the sun started to rise, but no luck. **

There was a moment of silence in remembering the death of Bianca di Angelo. Even the Romans bowed their heads in respect. Death in combat is an honorable thing, everyone knows that.

"I'm sorry, Nico," Hazel hugged her half brother.

** Zoe sat down and wept. I was stunned to see her cry. **

** Thalia yelled in rage and impaled her sword in the giant's smashed face. **

"An angry Thalia is a scary Thalia," Percy tried to lighten the mood. It helped a little. People were laughing small laughs. Even Nico put on a brave smile.

"i could still beat you up, Kelp Head," Thalia teased.

"No you can't, no one except Annabeth can hurt me," Percy shot back.

"What do you mean no one can hurt you? I don't see any sort of protection on you," Frank said.

"I took a dip in the Styx," Percy told everyone. He said it like he just jumped in the shower.

"You bathed in the Styx and survived?" Everyone except Grover, Nico, Thalia, and I exclaimed.

"Yeah, why?"

"So that's what you meant by you can't be killed," Reyna face palmed.

"What does he mean?" Jason asked.

"He took on the powers of Achilles, the greatest warrior in Greece. He couldn't be killed except for a spot on his ankle," I explained.

"So...?" Leo pressed for answered.

I sighed. "He has skin harder that iron."

"That's cool," Piper said.

"Very, saved me multiple times," Percy nodded. He leaned in close to me. "I like these new demigods, they are fun to be with."

"You're just good at making friends," I kissed him.

"I know, that's why we're friends," he grinned.

** "We can keep searching," I said. "It's light now. We'll find her." **

** "No we won't," Grover said miserably. "It happened just as it was supposed to." **

** "What are you talking about?" I demanded. **

** He looked up at me with big watery eyes. "The prophecy. **_**One shall he lost in the land without rain**_**." **

** Why hadn't I seen it? Why had I let her go instead of me? **

** Here we were in the desert. And Bianca di Angelo was gone. **

"That's what the prophecy meant," Jason said sadly.

"That's the end of the chapter," Hazel said. "Who's next?"

"I will read," Reyna declared. She took the book from Hazel and opened it up. "ChaIpter fourteen: **I Have A Dam Problem**."

Percy, Grover, and Thalia burst out laughing. The rest of us just stared at them strangely.

"Inside joke," Grover waved it off.

"Ooookay," Leo said.

* * *

><p><strong>The order of seats goes as follows:<strong>

**Annabeth, Percy, Leo, Jason, Piper, Thalia, Nico, Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Grover, then back to Annabeth. It''s a circular table if you couldn't guess that.**


	16. The Titan's Curse Ch14

Chapter 14: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**Annabeth's POV**

"Chapter fourteen: **I Have A Dam Problem**," Reyna read.

Percy, Grover, and Thalia burst out laughing. The rest of us stared at them strangely.

"Inside joke," Grover waved it off.

"Ooookay," Leo said.

**At the edge of the dump, we found a tow truck so old it might've been thrown away itself. But the engine started, and it had a full tank of gas, so we decided to borrow it. **

"Emphasis on borrow," Leo smirked. "You probably never returned it."

"It broke, so no. We didn't," Thalia told him.

** Thalia drove. She didn't seem as stunned as Zoe or Grover or me. **

** "The skeletons are still out there," she reminded us. "We need to keep moving." **

"That's good," Reyna said. "Keep them focused on what's needed to be done."

"Thanks," Thalia smiled. Reyna smiled back.

** She navigated us through the desert, under clear blue skies, the sand so bright it hurt to look at. Zoe sat up front with Thalia. Grover and I sat in the pickup bed, leaning against the tow wench. The air was cool and dry, but the nice weather just seemed like an insult after losing Bianca. **

** My hand closed around the little figurine that had cost her life. I still couldn't even tell what god it was supposed to be. Nico would know. **

"I did know," Nico admitted.

"What was it?" Jason asked.

"It comes up later, but if it doesn't, I'll tell you," Nico glared. What's up with him and Jason? Maybe it's just leftover shock from hearing the truth behind Bianca's death.

** Oh, gods… what was I going to tell Nico? **

** I wanted to believe that Bianca was still alive somewhere. But I had a bad feeling that she was gone for good. **

** "It should've been me," I said. "I should've gone into the giant." **

"That's just like you, Percy!" Grover told him. "You put other people ahead of yourself and then blame yourself! You can't protect everyone."

"I know, but I can't help it," Percy shrugged.

I squeezed his hand so that he knows it's okay. He smiled at me.

** "Don't say that!" Grover panicked. "It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if…" He sniffled. "Do you think anybody **_**else**_** would be my best friend?" **

"We need to work on that confidence, Grover," I told him.

"It's better now, but thanks," he smiled.

** "Ah, Grover…" **

** He wiped under his eyes with an oily cloth that left his face grimy, like he had on war paint. "I'm… I'm okay." **

** But he wasn't okay. Ever since the encounter in New Mexico—whatever had happened when that wild wind blew through—he seemed really fragile, even more emotional than usual. I was afraid to talk to him about it, because he might start bawling. **

** At least there's one good thing about having a friend who gets freaked out more than you do. I realized I couldn't stay depressed. I had to set aside thinking about Bianca and keep us going forward, the way Thalia was doing. I wondered what she and Zoe were talking about in the front of the truck. **

"We weren't talking," Thalia said.

"Thanks for answering that?" Percy said, though it sounded like a question.

**The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road dead-ended. **

** Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. "Great. What now?" **

"That is some bad luck," Hazel said.

"That's good luck for me," Percy winced.

"Sorry I didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Hazel," I assured her. "Percy just means that he has rotten luck."

** I scanned the horizon. There wasn't much to see. Desert in all directions, occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing interesting. The river itself wasn't very big, maybe fifty yards across, green water with a few rapids, but it carved a huge scar out of the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below us. **

** "There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river." **

** I tried to see what he was talking about, and finally noticed a tiny ledge winding down the cliff face. "That's a goat path," I said.**

** "So?" he asked. **

"They are not goats," Jason stated.

** "The rest of us aren't goats." **

** "We can make it," Grover said. "I think."**

"That's not enough for us to scale a canyon," Thalia said. She paled for a little before relaxing. I knew about her fear of heights and all, so I wasn't concerned for her. I assumed they wouldn't take that path.

** I thought about that. I'd done cliffs before, but I didn't like them. Then I looked over at Thalia and saw how pale she'd gotten. Her problem with heights… she'd never be able to do it. **

"Gee, thanks, Percy," Thalia snorted.

"No problem," he smirked.

** "No," I said. "I, uh, think we should go farther upstream." **

** Grover said, "But—" **

** "Come on," I said. "A walk won't hurt us." **

** I glanced at Thalia. Her eyes said a quick **_**Thank**__**you**_**. **

** We followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but I left a stack of golden drachmas on the counter and a note saying **_**IOU**__**two**__**canoes**_**. **

"And you didn't give them any either," Leo shook his head, grinning.

"Are you sure that he's alright?" I heard Reyna whisper to Jason.

He shrugged. "He has ADHD and is a joker, so yeah, he's fine."

** "We need to go upstream," Zoe said. It was the first time I'd heard her speak since the junkyard, and I was worried about how bad she sounded, like somebody with the flu. "The rapids are too swift." **

** "Leave that to me," I said. **

"What are you going to do?" the demigods who didn't know Percy that well asked.

"You'll see," Percy said.

** We put the canoes in the water. **

** Thalia pulled me aside as we were getting the oars. "Thanks for back there." **

** "Don't mention it." **

** "Can you really…" She nodded to the rapids. "You know." **

** "I think so. Usually I'm good with water." **

"That's an understatement," I told my boyfriend.

"I know, but I don't want to sound to full of myself," Percy kissed my cheek.

** "Would you take Zoe?" she asked. "I think, ah, maybe you can talk to her." **

"That's not a good idea..." Piper mumbled.

"It was fine," Percy replied.

** "She's not going to like that." **

** "Please? I don't know if I can stand being in the same boat with her. She's… she's starting to worry me." **

** It was about the last thing I wanted to do, but I nodded. **

** Thalia's shoulders relaxed. "I owe you one." **

** "Two." **

** "One and a half," Thalia said. **

** She smiled, and for a second, I remembered that I actually liked her when she wasn't yelling at me. **

"She yells at me a lot," Percy admitted.

I laughed along with Thalia.

"So does Annabeth," Percy grinned, "but I like when she yells at me. She's cute when she's angry."

"I'm not _cute_," I yelled.

"Yes you are."

** She turned and helped Grover get their canoe into the water. **

** As it turned out, I didn't even need to control the currents. As soon as we got in the river, I looked over the edge of the boat and found a couple of naiads staring at me. **

** They looked like regular teenage girls, the kind you'd see in any mall, except for the fact that they were underwater. **

_**Hey**_**, I said.**

** They made a bubbling sound that may have been giggling. I wasn't sure. I had a hard time understanding naiads. **

I made a growling sound.

"They weren't flirting," Percy told me. "They just recognized me as Poseidon's son."

I didn't like it, but I knew most water spirits had a _thing_ for Poseidon's children.

_**We're**__**heading**__**upstream**_**, I told them. **_**Do you think you could—**_

** Before I could even finish, the naiads each chose a canoe and began pushing us up the river. We started so fast Grover fell into his canoe with his hooves sticking up in the air. **

** "I hate naiads," Zoe grumbled. **

** A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoe in the face. **

** "She-devils!" Zoe went for her bow. **

** "Whoa," I said. "They're just playing." **

** "Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me." **

Many raised an eyebrow at this comment.

"Forgiven her?" Piper asked.

"It'll come up later," Grover told her.

** "Forgiven you for what?" **

** She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "It was a long time ago. Never mind." **

"How old is she?" Jason asked.

"Very old," Thalia told her brother.

** We sped up the river, the cliffs looming up on either side of us. **

** "What happened to Bianca wasn't your fault," I told her. "It was my fault. I let her go." **

** I figured this would give Zoe an excuse to start yelling at me. At least that might shake her out of feeling depressed. **

** Instead, her shoulders slumped. "No, Percy. I pushed her into going on the quest. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood. She had a kind heart, as well. I… I thought she would be the next lieutenant." **

** "But you're the lieutenant." **

** She gripped the strap of her quiver. She looked more tired than I'd ever seen her. "Nothing can last forever, Percy. Over two thousand years I have led the Hunt, and my wisdom has not improved. Now Artemis herself is in danger." **

** "Look, you can't blame yourself for that." **

** "If I had insisted on going with her—" **

** "You think you could've fought something powerful enough to kidnap Artemis? There's nothing you could have done." **

"That sounds weird," Leo said. "Didn't Chiron say that to you, but using different words?"

"Sort of," Percy shrugged. "Though, I took it the wrong way when he said it."

** Zoe didn't answer. **

** The cliffs along the river were getting taller. Long shadows fell across the water, making it a lot colder, even though the day was bright. **

** Without thinking about it, I took Riptide out of my pocket. Zoe looked at the pen, and her expression was pained. **

"She lost a lot because of that pen?" Reyna asked.

"Yeah, a lot," Thalia's shoulders slumped.

"I'll just wait," Reyna said. She started reading again.

** "You made this," I said. **

** "Who told thee?" **

** "I had a dream about it." She studied me. I was sure she was going to call me crazy, but she just sighed. "It was a gift. And a mistake." **

"But it was in a different form, right?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, but it was the same weapon," Percy looked down.

I kissed his forehead so that he would know to look at me. He met my eyes and an understanding passed between us. He grinned and relaxed.

** "Who was the hero?" I asked. **

** Zoe shook her head. "Do not make me say his name. I swore never to speak it again." "You act like I should know him." **

** "I am sure you do, hero. Don't all you boys want to be just like him?" **

Jason started to rub his chin. Leo was tapping his temple trying to figure out what she means.

**Her voice was so bitter, I decided not to ask what she meant. I looked down at Riptide, and for the first time, I wondered if it was cursed. **

** "Your mother was a water goddess?" I asked. **

** "Yes, Pleione. She had five daughters. My sisters and I. The Hesperides." **

"There are only four of those," Piper said.

"No, five," Thalia corrected.

** "Those were the girls who lived in a garden at the edge of the West. With the golden apple tree and a dragon guarding it." **

** "Yes," Zoe said wistfully. "Ladon." **

** "But weren't there only four sisters'?" **

** "There are now. I was exiled. Forgotten. Blotted out as if I never existed." **

** "Why?" **

** Zoe pointed to my pen. "Because I betrayed my family and helped a hero. You won't find that in the legend either. He never spoke of me. After his direct assault on Ladon failed, I gave him the idea of how to steal the apples, how to trick my father, but he took all the credit." **

Jason snapped his fingers. "The hero was-"

Reyna and Piper put their hands over his mouth.

"Don't spoil it!" Piper yelled. "We want to figure it out ourselves."

I think that was the only time Piper and Reyna would agree on anything.

** "But—" **

_**Gurgle**_**, **_**gurgle**_**, the naiad spoke in my mind. The canoe was slowing down. **

** I looked ahead, and I saw why.**

** This was as far as they could take us. The river was blocked. A dam the size of a football stadium stood in our path. **

"Hoover Dam?" I guessed.

"Yep," Percy replied.

** "Hoover Dam," Thalia said. "It's huge." **

** We stood at the river's edge, looking up at a curve of concrete that loomed between the cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam. They were so tiny they looked like fleas. **

** The naiads had left with a lot of grumbling—not in words I could understand, but it was obvious they hated this dam blocking up their nice river. Our canoes floated back downstream, swirling in the wake from the dam's discharge vents. **

"See? The canoes went back to the rental, probably," Percy told Leo.

"I stand corrected," Leo grinned.

** "Seven hundred feet tall," I said. "Built in the 1930s." **

** "Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said. **

** Graver sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States." **

** Zoe stared at us. "How do you know all that?" **

** "Annabeth," I said. "She liked architecture." **

"You actually listened?" I asked.

"Of course! I just don't always catch everything," Percy said.

"You never stop talking about it," Thalia groaned.

"Other than the Arch, Hoover Dam was your favorite," Grover replied.

** "She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said. **

** "Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying." **

** "I wish she were here," I said. **

** The others nodded. Zoe was still looking at us strangely, but I didn't care. It seemed like cruel fate that we'd come to Hoover Dam, one of Annabeth's personal favorites, and she wasn't here to see it. **

** "We should go up there," I said. "For her sake. Just to say we've been." **

** "You are mad," Zoe decided. "But that's where the road is." She pointed to a huge parking garage next to the top of the dam. "And so, sightseeing it is." **

"The last time Percy went sightseeing, he fell from the Arch," Grover sighed.

"Does he fall from the Dam?" I asked.

"No, but that would have been better."

The Romans looked at us strangely.

"Oh, we forgot to mention that Percy fell from the Arch when he was twelve," I told them.

"How are you alive?" Reyna asked.

"I'm lucky sometimes, that and the water is super nice to me," Percy grinned.

** We had to walk for almost an hour before we found a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then we straggled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.**

** Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything, but I knew he smelled monsters. **

** "How close are they?" I asked him. **

** He shook his head. "Maybe not close. The wind on the dam, the desert all around us… the scent can probably carry for miles. But it's coming from several directions. I don't like that." **

** I didn't either. It was already Wednesday, only two days until winter solstice, and we still had a long way to go. We didn't need any more monsters.**

** "There's a snack bar in the visitor center," Thalia said. **

"How do you know that?" I asked Thalia.

"It'll come up in a second, Percy asked the same thing," she laughed.

** "You've been here before?" I asked. **

** "Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. They looked kind of like Oscar statues with wings. **

** "They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Thalia said. "A gift from Athena." **

"The gold statues with the '"Lucky Toes"?" I asked.

"Yep."

** Tourists were clustered all around them. They seemed to be looking at the statues' feet. **

** "What are they doing?" I asked. **

** "Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck." **

** "Why?" **

** She shook her head. "Mortals get crazy ideas. They don't know the statues are sacred to Zeus, but they know there's something special about them." **

** "When you were here last, did they talk to you or anything?" **

** Thalia's expression darkened. I could tell that she'd come here before hoping for exactly that—some kind of sign from her dad. Some connection. "No. They don't do anything. They're just big metal statues." **

** I thought about the last big metal statue we'd run into. That hadn't gone so well. But I decided not to bring it up. **

"Good thing you didn't," Nico scowled. He's upset, I deduced.

** "Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can." **

Everyone burst out laughing.

"I get it now!" Leo howled.

"It was funny, still is!" Percy laughed.

** Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?" **

** Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?" **

** "Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries." **

** Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom." **

** Maybe it was the fact that we were so tired and strung out emotionally, but I started cracking up, and Thalia and Grover joined in, while Zoe just looked at us. "I do not understand." **

** "I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said. **

** "And…" Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt." **

** I busted up, and I probably would've kept laughing all day, but then I heard a noise: "Moooo." **

"What?" many demigods asked.

"It that Bessie?" I smirked at Percy.

He rolled his eyes. "Why do you always bring up the fact that I named him Bessie?"

"It's funny, given the circumstances," I kissed him.

** The smile melted off my face. I wondered if the noise was just in my head, but Grover had stopped laughing too. He was looking around, confused. "Did I just hear a cow?" **

** "A dam cow?" Thalia laughed. **

** "No," Grover said. "I'm serious." **

** Zoe listened. "I hear nothing." **

** Thalia was looking at me. "Percy, are you okay?" **

** "Yeah," I said. "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in." **

** "What's wrong?" Grover asked. **

** "Nothing," I said. "I… I just need a minute. To think." **

** They hesitated, but I guess I must've looked upset, because they finally went into the visitor center without me. As soon as they were gone, I jogged to the north edge of the dam and looked over. **

** "Moo." **

** She was about thirty feet below in the lake, but I could see her clearly: my friend from Long Island Sound, Bessie the cow serpent. **

** I looked around. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citizens. Some families. But nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any attention yet. **

"Bessie," Grover sighed.

"I don't understand," Hazel frowned. The others that didn't know about him nodded.

"It happens at the end," Percy shrugged off the looks he was getting.

** "What are you doing here?" I asked her. **

** "Moo!" **

** Her voice was urgent, like she was trying to warn me of something. **

** "How did you get here?" I asked. We were thousands of miles from Long Island, hundreds of miles inland. There was no way she could've swum all the way here. And yet, here she was. **

** Bessie swam in a circle and butted her head against the side of the dam. "Moo!" **

** She wanted me to come with her. She was telling me to hurry. **

"So the cow serpent wanted you to jump," I concluded.

"Pretty much," Percy said.

** "I can't," I told her. "My friends are inside." **

** She looked at me with her sad brown eyes. Then she gave one more urgent "Mooo!," did a flip, and disappeared into the water. **

** I hesitated. Something was wrong. She was trying to tell me that. I considered jumping over the side and following her, but then I tensed. The hairs on my arms bristled. I looked down the dam road to the east and I saw two men walking slowly toward me. They wore gray camouflage outfits that flickered over skeletal bodies. **

"Not those again," Leo groaned. "They aren't fun at all!"

"No, really? I thought they were awesome," Nico said sarcastically.

** They passed through a group of kids and pushed them aside. A kid yelled, "Hey!" One of the warriors turned, his face changing momentarily into a skull. **

** "Ah!" the kid yelled, and his whole group backed away. **

** I ran for the visitor center. **

** I was almost to the stairs when I heard tires squeal. On the west side of the dam, a black van swerved to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly plowing into some old people. **

** The van doors opened and more skeleton warriors piled out. I was surrounded. **

"That's not good," Jason said.

** I bolted down the stairs and through the museum entrance. The security guard at the metal detector yelled, "Hey, kid!" But I didn't stop. **

"You should have used my cap," I told Percy.

"I forgot with the whole 'skeletons trying to kill me' thing," he replied.

** I ran through the exhibits and ducked behind a tour group. I looked for my friends, but I couldn't see them anywhere. Where was the dam snack bar? **

"Near the dam restrooms," Grover laughed.

** "Stop!" The metal-detector guy yelled. **

"Because that always works," Piper rolled her eyes.

** There was no place to go but into an elevator with the tour group. I ducked inside just as the door closed. **

** "We'll be going down seven hundred feet," our tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses. I guess she hadn't noticed that I was being chased. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks." **

** "Does this go to the snack bar?" I asked her. **

"You probably sounded so stupid," Reyna said.

"Yeah, but I was panicking, so it's okay," Percy told her.

** A few people behind me chuckled. The tour guide looked at me. Something about her gaze made my skin tingle. **

** "To the turbines, young man," the lady said. "Weren't you listening to my fascinating presentation upstairs?" **

"She sounds familiar..." I pondered the thought.

** "Oh, uh, sure. Is there another way out of the dam?" **

** "It's a dead end," a tourist behind me said. "For heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator." **

** The doors opened. **

** "Go right ahead, folks," the tour guide told us. "Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor." **

** I didn't have much choice but to go out with the group. **

** "And young man," the tour guide called. I looked back. She'd taken off her glasses. Her eyes were startlingly gray, like storm clouds. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it." **

"Mother!" I cried.

"Yep, I think it was Athena," Percy kissed me.

"So that's what you meant when you told me Athena was trying to help?" Thalia asked.

"Yeah," Percy answered.

** The doors closed with the tour guide still inside, leaving me alone. **

** Before I could think too much about the woman in the elevator, a ding came from around the corner. The second elevator was opening, and I heard an unmistakable sound—the clattering of skeleton teeth. **

** I ran after the tour group, through a tunnel carved out of solid rock. It seemed to run forever. The walls were moist, and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. I came out on a U-shaped balcony that overlooked this huge warehouse area. Fifty feet below, enormous turbines were running. It was a big room, but I didn't see any other exit, unless I wanted to jump into the turbines and get churned up to make electricity. I didn't. **

"I mean, you never know," Thalia sarcastically stated, "Sometimes you must feel like that."

"Whatever, Pine Cone Face," Percy shrugged off the comment.

** Another tour guide was talking over the microphone, telling the tourists about water supplies in Nevada. I prayed that Thalia, Zoe, and Grover were okay. They might already be captured, or eating at the snack bar, completely unaware that we were being surrounded. And stupid me: I had trapped myself in a hole hundreds of feet below the surface. **

"Not the best idea," Reyna noted.

"His ideas rarely are," I told her.

"Hey! I have good ideas!" Percy protested.

"That's why I said _rarely_, not never. Sometimes you do have good ideas," I kissed him to get him to stop talking so he wouldn't answer.

** I worked my way around the crowd, trying not to be too obvious about it. There was a hallway at the other side of the balcony—maybe some place I could hide. I kept my hand on Riptide, ready to strike. **

** By the time I got to the opposite side of the balcony, my nerves were shot. I backed into the little hallway and watched the tunnel I'd come from. **

** Then right behind me I heard a sharp **_**Chhh**_**! like the voice of a skeleton. **

** Without thinking, I uncapped Riptide and spun, slashing with my sword. **

** The girl I'd just tried to slice in half yelped and dropped her Kleenex. **

** "Oh my god.'" she shouted. "Do you always kill people when they blow their nose?" **

"Uh oh, a mortal," Jason said.

"Can she see through the Mist?" Piper asked.

Percy looked nervous. "Yes."

** The first thing that went through my head was that the sword hadn't hurt her. It had passed clean through her body, harmlessly. "You're mortal!" **

** She looked at me in disbelief. "What's **_**that**_** supposed to mean? Of course I'm mortal! How did you get that sword past security?" **

** "I didn't—Wait, you can see it's a sword?" **

** The girl rolled her eyes, which were green like mine. She had frizzy reddish-brown hair. Her nose was also red, like she had a cold. She wore a big maroon Harvard sweatshirt and jeans that were covered with marker stains and little holes, like she spent her free time poking them with a fork. **

My eyes widened. "So this is when you met Rachel," I smirked at him.

He sighed. "Yes, when we met, I tried to cut her in half on accident."

"Great first impression," Leo grinned. "That's how I introduce myself too. I just walk up to girls like, 'Yo, my name's Leo and I...'," he made a motion like he was swinging a sword, "think you are looking amazing, what's your name?"

"That is weirder than what I've heard the Stolls say," Percy said to him.

** "Well, it's either a sword or the biggest toothpick in the world," she said. "And why didn't it hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining. Who are you? And whoa, what is that you're wearing? Is that made of lion fur?" **

** She asked so many questions so fast, it was like she was throwing rocks at me. I couldn't think of what to say. I looked at my sleeves to see if the Nemean Lion pelt had somehow changed back to fur, but it still looked like a brown winter coat to me. **

** I knew the skeleton warriors were still chasing me. I had no time to waste. But I just stared at the redheaded girl. Then I remembered what Thalia had done at Westover Hall to fool the teachers. Maybe I could manipulate the Mist. **

"He's going to make himself look stupid," Thalia shook her head.

**I concentrated hard and snapped my fingers. "You don't see a sword," I told the girl. "It's just a ballpoint pen." **

** She blinked. "Um… no. It's a sword, weirdo." **

** "Who are you?" I demanded. **

** She huffed indignantly. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now, are you going to answer my questions or should I scream for security?" **

** "No!" I said. "I mean, I'm kind of in a hurry. I'm in trouble." **

** "In a hurry or in trouble?" **

"Both," most the people in the room said.

** "Um, sort of both." **

** She looked over my shoulder and her eyes widened. "Bathroom!" **

** "What?" **

** "Bathroom! Behind me! Now!" **

** I don't know why, but I listened to her. I slipped inside the boys' bathroom and left Rachel Elizabeth Dare standing outside. Later, that seemed cowardly to me. I'm also pretty sure it saved my life. **

"She started asking a bunch of questions, didn't she?" I asked Percy.

He sighed. "Yeah, that's our Rachel."

** I heard the clattering, hissing sounds of skeletons as they came closer. **

** My grip tightened on Riptide. What was I thinking? I'd left a mortal girl out there to die. I was preparing to burst out and fight when Rachel Elizabeth Dare started talking in that rapid-fire machine gun way of hers. **

** "Oh my god! Did you **_**see**_** that kid? It's about time you got here. He tried to kill me! He had a sword, for god's sake. You security guys let a sword-swinging lunatic inside a national landmark? I mean, jeez! He ran that way toward those turbine thingies. I think he went over the side or something. Maybe he fell." **

"Maybe they'll see if they can catch him by jumping off," Frank said hopefully.

"I wish," Thalia snorted. "That would have made this quest so much easier."

** The skeletons clattered excitedly. I heard them moving off. **

** Rachel opened the door. "All clear. But you'd better hurry." **

** She looked shaken. Her face was gray and sweaty. **

** I peeked around the corner. Three skeleton warriors were running toward the other end of the balcony. The way to the elevator was clear for a few seconds. **

** "I owe you one, Rachel Elizabeth Dare." **

** "What are those things?" she asked. "They looked like—" **

"Skeletons," Leo grinned. "Say it with me Ske-le-tons. Now all together: Skeletons."

"Shut up, Repair Boy, we know how to say skeletons," Piper hit him.

"That makes me feel great."

**"Skeletons?"**

** She nodded uneasily. **

** "Do yourself a favor," I said. "Forget it. Forget you ever saw me." **

** "Forget you tried to kill me?" **

"That's hard to forget," Reyna said, smiling a little.

** "Yeah. That, too." **

** "But who are you?" **

** "Percy—" I started to say. Then the skeletons turned around. "Gotta go!" **

"You were about to tell her your name!" I yelled.

"Sorry, but after that experience, it only seemed right," Percy said, holding his hands to shield his face.

"I'm kidding," I laughed, "You know that I'm friends with her now."

"I know, but it's still a sore subject." He leaned over and kissed me. "Besides, nobody compares to you, Wise Girl," he whispered in my ear.

Someone cleared their throat. "Would you like us to give you some privacy?" Thalia smirked.

We blushed.

"No," Percy grinned.

** "What kind of name is Percy Gotta-go?" **

"I hope she's not serious," Leo shook his head.

** I bolted for the exit. **

** The cafe was packed with kids enjoying the best part of the tour—the dam lunch. Thalia, Zoe, and Grover were just sitting down with their food. **

"Perfect timing," Leo said.

"Those burritos came in handy," Grover grinned like a mad man... goat?

** We need to leave," I gasped. "Now!" **

** "But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said.**

** Zoe stood up, muttering an Ancient Greek curse. "He's right! Look." **

** The cafe windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill us. **

"So much sarcasm in one sentence," Leo said. "This just get better and better."

** I counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols. **

** But our immediate problem was a lot closer. The three skeletal warriors who'd been chasing me in the turbine room now appeared on the stairs. They saw me from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth. **

** "Elevator!" Grover said. We bolted that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant **_**ding**_**, and three more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the one Bianca had blasted to flames in New Mexico. We were completely surrounded. **

** Then Grover had a brilliant, totally Grover-like idea. **

"I loved this idea," Percy grinned.

** "Burrito fight!" he yelled, and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton. **

"Yes! I love it!" Leo exclaimed. "You are the kings of awesomeness!"

"Thank you, Leo," Grover looked proud.

"I could have come up with something better," I muttered.

"But Grover's was funny," Percy whispered to me.

** Now, if you have never been hit by a flying burrito, count yourself lucky. In terms of deadly projectiles, it's right up there with grenades and cannonballs. Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. I'm not sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming.**

** The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere. **

** In the chaos, Thalia and I tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then we all raced downstairs, Guacamole Grandes whizzing past our heads. **

** "What now?" Grover asked as we burst outside. **

** I didn't have an answer. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. We ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put our backs to the mountain. **

"It's better than being surrounded in a circle," Reyna informed us.

"Thanks, that makes me feel better," Grover said sarcastically.

Reyna looked angry, but said nothing and kept reading.

** The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around us. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced. **

** "Four against eleven," Zoe muttered. "And **_**they**_** cannot die." **

** "It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling. **

** Something shiny caught the corner of my eye. I glanced behind me at the statue's feet. "Whoa," I said. "Their toes really are bright." **

"Really Perce?" Nico laughed.

"ADHD is a killer," Percy shrugged.

"Tell me about it," Piper groaned. "Leo can't go one minute without doing _something_ with his hands."

"You know you love it," Leo smirked.

"I like it when it doesn't involve drawing on my hand and arms," Piper told him.

"Sorry, but I can't help it."

** "Percy!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time." **

** But I couldn't help staring at the two giant bronze guys with tall bladed wings like letter openers. They were weathered brown except for their toes, which shone like new pennies from all the times people had rubbed them for good luck. **

** Good luck. The blessing of Zeus. **

** I thought about the tour guide in the elevator. Her gray eyes and her smile. What had she said? **_**There is always a way for those clever enough to find it**_**. **

"Yep, that's Athena," Grover said.

The people who hadn't seen her looked at me.

"So that's what she looks like," Reyna said.

"Except Annabeth is scarier," Leo said. Thunder rumbled outside. "I only said that because she is right here and could kill me without a weapon!" he shouted at the sky.

** "Thalia," I said. "Pray to your dad." **

** She glared at me. "He never answers." **

** "Just this once," I pleaded. "Ask for help. I think… I think the statues can give us some luck." **

** Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet. **

** "Do it!" I yelled. **

** "No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me." **

** "This time is different!" **

** "Who says?" **

** I hesitated. "Athena, I think." **

** Thalia scowled like she was sure I'd gone crazy. **

"I was ninety percent sure that you had gone crazy," Thalia admitted.

"Thanks," Percy smiled.

** "Try it," Grover pleaded. **

** Thalia closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. I put in my own prayer to Annabeth's mom, hoping I was right that it had been her in that elevator—that she was trying to help us save her daughter. **

** And nothing happened. **

** The skeletons closed in. I raised Riptide to defend myself. Thalia held up her shield. Zoe pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head. **

** A shadow fell over me. I thought maybe it was the shadow of death. Then I realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze, and all five of the baton-wielders were swept aside. **

"What's happening?" Hazel asked.

No one answered.

** The other skeletons opened fire. I raised my lion coat for protection, but I didn't need it. The bronze angels stepped in front of us and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road. **

"The statues came to life?" Jason asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but they were kind of weird," Grover answered.

** "Man, it feels good to stand up!" the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built. **

** "Will ya look at my toes?" the other said. "Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?" As stunned as I was by the angels, I was more concerned with the skeletons. A few of them were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons. **

** "Trouble!" I said. **

** "Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled. **

** Both angels looked down at her. **

** "Zeus's kid?" **

** "Yes!" **

** "Could I get a **_**please**_**, Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked. **

"These statues have an attitude," Hazel sneered.

"Hopefully they never meet Terminus," Frank said.

"Who?" the Greek demigods asked.

"The god of boundaries in New Rome," Reyna explained.

** "Please!" **

** The angels looked at each other and shrugged. **

** "Could use a stretch," one decided. **

** And the next thing I knew, one of them grabbed Thalia and me, the other grabbed Zoe and Grover, and we flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below us and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains **

"Done," Reyna declared. "Who will read next?"  
>"I will," Frank said. "Chapter fifteen," he paused and chuckled a little, "<strong>I Wrestle Santa's Evil Twin<strong>."

"I don't even want to know," I sighed.


	17. The Titan's Curse Ch15

Chapter 17: _The Titan's Curse_

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, all rights go to Rick Riordan

**(From now on, chapters will change POV every two chapters, I do not think it will be in any particular order.)**

**Jason's POV**

"Chapter fifteen: **I Wrestle Santa's Evil Twin**," Frank read.

"I don't even want to know," Annabeth sighed, shaking her head.

**"Tell me when it's over," Thalia said. Her eyes were shut tight. The statue was holding on to us so we couldn't fall, but still Thalia clutched his arm like it was the most important thing in the world. **

** "Everything's fine," I promised. **

** "Are… are we very high?" **

"For a daughter of Jupiter–I mean–Zeus, you sure don't like the heights," Reyna noted.

Thalia shrugged. "Not something I can control, it just happens, though it has gotten better."

** I looked down. Below us, a range of snowy mountains zipped by. I stretched out my foot and kicked snow off one of the peaks. **

** "Nah," I said. "Not that high." **

"Liar," Thalia said.

"I didn't want to scare you," Percy defended.

** "We are in the Sierras.'" Zoe yelled. She and Grover were hanging from the arms of the other statue. "I have hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours." **

** "Hey, hey, Frisco!" our angel said. "Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!" **

** "Oh, man," the other angel said. "I am **_**so**_** there!" **

"Statues like to party?" Leo grinned.

"I guess, but we didn't stick around for that," Percy told him.

"I think I'm going to look for them some time..."

"Leo, don't even think about doing that," I told him.

"You're no fun," he whined.

** "You guys have visited San Francisco?" I asked. **

** "We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while, right?" our statue said. "Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And—" **

** "Hank!" the other statue Chuck cut in. "They're kids, man." **

"I really didn't need to hear that," Percy grimaced.

"I don't even want to know what he was going to say," Reyna shook her head.

"Who knew statues had a sense of humor," Piper smiled.

** "Oh, right." If bronze statues could blush, I swear Hank did. "Back to flying." **

** We sped up, so I could tell the angels were excited. The mountains fell away into hills, and then we were zipping along over farmland and towns and highways. **

** Grover played his pipes to pass the time. Zoe got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as we flew by. Every time she saw a Target department store—and we passed dozens of them—she would peg the store's sign with a few bulls-eyes at a hundred miles an hour. Thalia kept her eyes closed the whole way. She muttered to herself a lot, like she was**

**praying. **

** "You did good back there," I told her. "Zeus listened." **

** It was hard to tell what she was thinking with her eyes closed. "Maybe," she said. "How did you get away from the skeletons in the generator room, anyway? You said they cornered you." **

** I told her about the weird mortal girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who seemed to be able to see right through the Mist. I thought Thalia was going to call me crazy, but she just nodded. **

"Those are the annoying ones," Reyna growled.

"You've dealt with them before?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

Reyna sighed. "They sometimes wander into camp on accident."

"I remember that," I smiled. "You had your dogs chase them away."

"How much do you remember?" Piper asked sounding a little worried.

"It's not all back, but pieces are coming back."

** "Some mortals are like that," she said. "Nobody knows why." **

** Suddenly I flashed on something I'd never considered. **

** My **_**mom**_** was like that. She had seen the Minotaur on Half-Blood Hill and known exactly what it was. She hadn't been surprised at all last year when I'd told her my friend Tyson was really a Cyclops. Maybe she'd known all along. No wonder she'd been so scared for me as I was growing up. She saw through the Mist even better than I did. **

"You never realized that?" Annabeth asked Percy.

He just shrugged. "I knew it, but never thought about it."

** "Well, the girl was annoying," I said. "But I'm glad I didn't vaporize her. That would've been bad." **

"I couldn't have been that bad," Nico grinned.

"Yeah, could have saved you a lot of _trouble_," Grover smirked.

Percy blushed. "I told you I didn't think of her that way!"

"We know," Annabeth kissed Percy, "We just like to mess with you."

Piper looked at them happily. I guess she likes seeing Annabeth smiling for once, rather than going out of her mind with worry. I also saw something else in her eyes. Was that _wistfulness_? Did she want me to act like that to her? I would kiss her... but Reyna is sitting right next to me. I don't know what I should do. It's really awkward.

** Thalia nodded. "Must be nice to be a regular mortal." She said that as if she'd given it a lot of thought. **

"I had," Thalia stated.

** "Where you guys want to land?" Hank asked, waking me up from a nap. **

** I looked down and said, "Whoa." **

** I'd seen San Francisco in pictures before, but never in real life. It was probably the most beautiful city I'd ever seen: kind of like a smaller, cleaner Manhattan, if Manhattan had been surrounded by green hills and fog. There was a huge bay and ships, islands and sailboats, and the Golden Gate Bridge sticking up out of the fog. I felt like I should take a picture or something. **_**Greetings from Frisco. Haven't Died Yet. Wish You Were Here**_**. **

** "There," Zoe suggested. "By the Embarcadero Building." **

** "Good thinking," Chuck said. "Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons." **

"I hope he's kidding," Leo laughed.

** We all looked at him. **

** "Kidding," he said. "Sheesh, can't statues have a sense of humor?" **

** As it turned out, there wasn't much need to blend in. It was early morning and not many people were around. We freaked out a homeless guy on the ferry dock when we landed. He screamed when he saw Hank and Chuck and ran off yelling something about metal angels from Mars. **

Everyone started laughing.

"Metal... Angels... From _Mars_!" Leo tried to say, but was laughing too hard.

"Watch out! The deadly metal angels are coming for you!" Nico said jokingly, acting like he was trying to scare us.

**We said our good-byes to the angels, who flew off to party with their statue friends. That's when I realized I had no idea what we were going to do next. **

** We'd made it to the West Coast. Artemis was here somewhere. Annabeth too, I hoped. But I had no idea how to find them, and tomorrow was the winter solstice. Nor did I have any clue what monster Artemis had been hunting. It was supposed to find us on the quest. It was supposed to "show the trail," but it never had. Now we were stuck on the ferry dock with not much money, no friends, and no luck. **

** After a brief discussion, we agreed that we needed to figure out just what this mystery monster was. **

** "But how?" I asked. **

** "Nereus," Grover said. **

** I looked at him. "What?" **

"How is it that Grover remembers your conversation with Apollo better than you?" I asked Percy.

"Dunno, maybe it's the fact that he pays more attention to what the gods say," Percy answered.

"That's because they would smite me or you for not listening," Grover pointed out.

** "Isn't that what Apollo told you to do? Find Nereus?" **

** I nodded. I'd completely forgotten my last conversation with the sun god. **

** "The old man of the sea," I remembered. "I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?" **

** Zoe made a face. "Old Nereus, eh?" **

"She knows him?" Leo asked.

** "You know him?" Thalia asked. **

** "My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never very hard to find. Just follow the smell." **

** "What do you mean?" I asked. **

** "Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee." **

"I hated this part," Percy groaned while Thalia and Grover laughed.

** I knew I was in trouble when we stopped at the Goodwill drop box. Five minutes later, Zoe had me outfitted in a ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat. **

"That mental image is just too funny!" Piper laughed.

Percy just banged his head on the table while Annabeth tried to tell him it was okay and that she didn't care what he wore.

"It was for the quest," she reminded him. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about it."

** "Oh, yeah," Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, "you look completely inconspicuous now." **

** Zoe nodded with satisfaction. "A typical male vagrant." **

** "Thanks a lot," I grumbled. "Why am I doing this again?" **

** "I told thee. To blend in." **

"Because, everyone dresses like that," Leo said sarcastically.

** She led the way back down to the waterfront. After a long time spent searching the docks, Zoe finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch. **

** "He will be down there somewhere," Zoe said. "He never travels very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day." **

** "How do I know which one is him?" **

** "Sneak up," she said. "Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell… different."**

"What kind of different?" Leo asked.

"It will probably tell you, but try not to gag when it says," Percy warned.

** "Great." I didn't want to ask for particulars. "And once I find him?" **

** "Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster." **

** "We've got your back," Thalia said. She picked something off the back of my shirt—a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. "Eww. On second thought… I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you." **

** Grover gave me a big thumbs-up. **

** I grumbled how nice it was to have super-powerful friends. Then I headed toward the dock. **

"Yeah, super-powerful friends are very helpful," Piper smiled at me, causing me to redden in the face.

Reyna noticed this and narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

** I pulled my hat down and stumbled like I was about to pass out, which wasn't hard considering how tired I was. I passed our homeless friend from the Embarcadero, who was still trying to warn the other guys about the metal angels from Mars. **

** He didn't smell good, but he didn't smell… different. I kept walking. **

** A couple of grimy dudes with plastic grocery bags for hats checked me out as I came close. "Beat it, kid!" one of them muttered. **

** I moved away. They smelled pretty bad, but just regular old bad. Nothing unusual. **

** There was a lady with a bunch of plastic flamingos sticking out of a shopping cart. She glared at me like I was going to steal her birds. **

"Not the birds!" Nico cried.

** At the end of the pier, a guy who looked about a million years old was passed out in a patch of sunlight. He wore pajamas and a fuzzy bathrobe that probably used to be white. He was fat, with a white beard that had turned yellow, kind of like Santa Claus, if Santa had been rolled out of bed and dragged through a landfill. **

"That's him?" I guessed.

"Yeah," Percy sighed.

"That's what the chapter was talking about. You wrestle him for answers," Hazel snapped her fingers as she figured it out.

** And his smell? **

** As I got closer, I froze. He smelled bad, all right—but **_**ocean**_** bad. Like hot seaweed and dead fish and brine. **

"I don't want to know how you knew what he smelled like," Annabeth wrinkled her nose.

"And I don't want to talk about that experience," Percy winced.

** If the ocean had an ugly side… this guy was it. **

** I tried not to gag as I sat down near him like I was tired. Santa opened one eye suspiciously. I could feel him staring at me, but I didn't look. I muttered something about stupid school and stupid parents, figuring that might sound reasonable. **

"The stupid school part probably wasn't hard," Annabeth smiled at Percy.

"How many schools have you been kicked out of?" Piper asked.

"Let me think..." Percy started to count on his fingers. "Eight that I can remember. Almost nine."

"And I thought I was trouble," Piper muttered.

** Santa Claus went back to sleep. **

** I tensed. I knew this was going to look strange. I didn't know how the other homeless people would react. But I jumped Santa Claus. **

"That sounds so weird, like, you jumped him for your toy or because he took your cookies," Leo shook his head, grinning like a mad man.

"Leo, only you have thoughts like that," Thalia sighed.

** "Ahhhhhl" he screamed. I meant to grab him, but he seemed to grab me instead. It was as if he'd never been asleep at all. He certainly didn't act like a weak old man. He had a grip like steel. "Help me!" he screamed as he squeezed me to death. **

** "That's a crime!" one of the other homeless guys yelled. "Kid rolling an old man like that!" **

** I rolled, all right—straight down the pier until my head slammed into a post. I was dazed for a second, and Nereus's grip slackened. He was making a break for it. Before he could, I regained my senses and tackled him from behind. **

** "I don't have any money!" He tried to get up and run, but I locked my arms around his chest. His rotten fish smell was awful, but I held on. **

** "I don't want money," I said as he fought. "I'm a half-blood! I want information." **

"That's awesome! Just shout your a half-blood in front of strangers, mortals no less," Reyna scolded him.

"How else was I suppose to tell him? 'I'm a random dude who wants you to answer my random question!' just sounds stupid," Percy replied.

Reyna's expression hardened. I remember her getting angry when she was spoken to with little respect. Let's just say that the last guy who did that still hasn't fully recovered to my knowledge.

** That just made him struggle harder. "Heroes! Why do you always pick on me?" **

** "Because you know everything!" **

** He growled and tried to shake me off his back. It was like holding on to a roller coaster. He thrashed around, making it impossible for me to keep on my feet, but I gritted my teeth and squeezed tighter. We staggered toward the edge of the pier and I got an idea. **

** "Oh, no!" I said. "Not the water!" **

"Good idea," Annabeth nodded in approval.

"I assume the water gives him energy?" Reyna asked.

"Yep," Percy smiled.

** The plan worked. Immediately, Nereus yelled in triumph and jumped off the edge. Together, we plunged into San Francisco Bay. **

** He must've been surprised when I tightened my grip, the ocean filling me with extra strength. But Nereus had a few tricks left, too. He changed shape until I was holding a sleek black seal. **

** I've heard people make jokes about trying to hold a greased pig, but I'm telling you, holding on to a seal in the water is harder. Nereus plunged straight down, wriggling and thrashing and spiraling through the dark water. If I hadn't been Poseidon's son, there's no way I could've stayed with him. **

"I think that you were able to follow him because you can BREATHE UNDER WATER!" Thalia exclaimed.

"Yeah, but he was hard to hold," Percy replied.

** Nereus spun and expanded, turning into a killer whale, but I grabbed his dorsal fin as he burst out of the water. **

** A whole bunch of tourists went, "Whoa!" **

** I managed to wave at the crowd. **_**Yeah, we do this every day here in San Francisco**_**. **

"Only you, Percy," Nico laughed.

"I would pay to see their faces," Leo added.

** Nereus plunged into the water and turned into a slimy eel. I started to tie him into a knot until he realized what was going on and changed back to human form. "Why won't you drown?" he wailed, pummelmg me with his fists. **

** "I'm Poseidon's son," I said. **

** "Curse that upstart! I was here first!" **

"Was he before or during the Titan's rule?" Piper asked.

"I think before, he was the son of Gaea," Annabeth answered.

"Only you would know that answer," Percy said to her.

** Finally he collapsed on the edge of the boat dock. Above us was one of those tourist piers lined with shops, like a mall on water. Nereus was heaving and gasping. I was feeling great. I could've gone on all day, but I didn't tell him that. I wanted him to feel like he'd put up a good fight. **

"Modesty, really?" Frank asked.

Percy shrugged. "I didn't want to ruin the gods self-esteem."

** My friends ran down the steps from the pier. **

** "You got him!" Zoe said. **

** "You don't have to sound so amazed," I said. **

** Nereus moaned. "Oh, wonderful. An audience for my humiliation! The normal deal, I suppose? You'll let me go if I answer your question?" **

** "I've got more than one question," I said. **

"That's not how it works," Annabeth frowned.

** "Only one question per capture! That's the rule." **

** I looked at my friends. **

** This wasn't good. I needed to find Artemis, and I needed to figure out what the doomsday creature was. I also needed to know if Annabeth was still alive, and how to rescue her. How could I ask that all in one question? **

** A voice inside me was screaming **_**Ask about Annabeth**_**! That's what I cared about most. **

"You know I would never forgive you if you rescued me but not Olympus," Annabeth told Percy.

"Yeah, I know, but you're just too special. I can't lose you ever again," Percy smiled back.

** But then I imagined what Annabeth might say. She would never forgive me if I saved her and didn't save Olympus. Zoe would want me to ask about Artemis, but Chiron had told us the monster was even more important. **

** I sighed. "All right, Nereus. Tell me where to find this terrible monster that could bring an end to the gods. The one Artemis was hunting." **

** The Old Man of the Sea smiled, showing off his mossy green teeth. **

** "Oh, that's too easy," he said evilly. "He's right there." **

"What?" everyone in the room minus Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, and Nico asked.

** Nereus pointed to the water at my feet. **

** "Where?" I said. **

** "The deal is complete!" Nereus gloated. With a pop, he turned into a goldfish and did a backflip into the sea. **

** "You tricked me!" I yelled. **

** "Wait." Thalia's eyes widened. "What is **_**that**_**?" **

** "MOOOOOOOO!" **

"The cow?" I asked.

"How did it get there?" Reyna asked the group.

"It comes up later," Percy waved it off.

** I looked down, and there was my friend the cow serpent, swimming next to the dock. She nudged my shoe and gave me the sad brown eyes. **

** "Ah, Bessie," I said. "Not now." **

** "Mooo!" **

** Grover gasped. "He says his name isn't Bessie." **

** "You can understand her… er, him?" **

** Grover nodded. "It's a very old form of animal speech. But he says his name is the Ophiotaurus." **

"The Ophiotaurus!" Reyna gasped.

"You know this monster?" Piper asked her.

"Yes, but I assume it will explain, so continue reading, Frank."

** "The Ophi-what?" **

** "It means serpent bull in Greek," Thalia said. "But what's it doing here?" **

** "Moooooooo!" **

** "He says Percy is his protector," Grover announced. "And he's running from the bad people. He says they are close." **

** I was wondering how you got all that out of a single **_**moooooo**_**. **

"It was a long moo," Grover answered with a shrug.

** "Wait," Zoe said, looking at me. "You know this cow?" **

** I was feeling impatient, but I told them the story. **

** Thalia shook her head in disbelief. "And you just forgot to mention this before?" **

"It doesn't seem important unless you know what it is," I defended Percy.

"See? I'm not the only one who thinks that." Percy gestured to me and smiled. "Cousins think alike a lot."  
>"I hate that part," Thalia joked.<p>

** "Well… yeah." It seemed silly, now that she said it, but things had been happening so fast. Bessie, the Ophiotaurus, seemed like a minor detail. **

** "I am a fool," Zoe said suddenly. "I know this story!" **

** "What story?" **

** "From the War of the Titans," she said. "My… my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for." **

"This little cow-serpent will destroy the gods?" Leo tried to keep a straight face, but looked like he was just told a corny joke. Believe me, I've heard enough jokes from him to know what I'm talking about.

** "Bessie?" I looked down at the bull serpent. "But… he's too cute. He couldn't destroy the world." **

** "That is how we were wrong," Zoe said. "We've been anticipating a huge dangerous monster, but the Ophiotaurus does not bring down the gods that way. He must be sacrificed." "MMMM," Bessie lowed. **

** "I don't think he likes the S-word," Grover said. **

"Neither do we," Thalia groaned.

** I patted Bessie on the head, trying to calm him down. He let me scratch his ear, but he was trembling. **

** "How could anyone hurt him?" I said. **

** "He's harmless." Zoe nodded. "But there is power in killing innocence. Terrible power. The Fates ordained a prophecy eons ago, when this creature was born. They said that whoever killed the Ophiotaurus and sacrificed its entrails to fire would have the power to destroy the gods." **

"That is just peachy," Leo said sarcastically.

** "MMMMMM!" **

** "Um," Grover said. "Maybe we could avoid talking about entrails, too." **

** Thalia stared at the cow serpent with wonder. "The power to destroy the gods… how? I mean, what would happen?" **

** "No one knows," Zoe said. "The first time, during the Titan war, the Ophiotaurus was in fact slain by a giant ally of the Titans, but thy father, Zeus, sent an eagle to snatch the entrails away before they could be tossed into the fire. It was a close call. Now, after three thousand years, the Ophiotaurus is reborn." **

"What happens to it?" I asked. The power to destroy the gods is crazy! If that gets into enemy hands... the results would not be pretty.

"It comes up at the end," Percy told me.

** Thalia sat down on the dock. She stretched out her hand. Bessie went right to her. Thalia placed her hand on his head. Bessie shivered. **

** Thalia's expression bothered me. She almost looked… hungry. **

"Please tell me you were just thinking about burgers and not sacrificing the beast," Leo looked worried.

"Yeah... let's go with that," Thalia looked shaken.

** "We have to protect him," I told her. "If Luke gets hold of him—" **

** "Luke wouldn't hesitate," Thalia muttered. "The power to overthrow Olympus. That's… that's huge." **

** "Yes, it is, my dear," said a man's voice in a heavy French accent. "And it is a power you shall unleash." **

"The manticore?" I assumed. The French accent is weird for a monster.

"Sadly, it was him and not a French tourist," Percy sighed.

** The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged. **

** I looked up. We'd been so busy talking, we'd allowed ourselves to be ambushed. **

** Standing behind us, his two-color eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself. **

"That's not good," Hazel gulped.

"Understatement," Percy stated.

** "This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated. **

** He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy. He hadn't shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble. Basically he didn't look much better than the guys down at the soup kitchen. **

** "Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the manticore said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"**

"Really? Because, it's hard to feast on half-bloods when they're all dead," Leo stated.

"Not all of them would die, but you're right," Hazel agreed.

** On either side of him stood two armed security guys, some of the mortal mercenaries I'd seen in D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case we tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above us—but I knew that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting. **

** "Where… where are the skeletons?" I asked the manticore. **

** He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!" **

"I think the skeletons would have better luck with that," Piper said.

Reyna nodded. "The skeletons cannot be killed, but the manticore and his soldiers can."

** I needed time to think. I had to save Bessie. I could dive into the sea, but how could I make a quick getaway with a five-hundred-pound cow serpent? And what about my friends? **

** "We beat you once before," I said. **

** "Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas… that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."**

** Zoe notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head. The guards on either side of us raised their guns. **

** "Wait!" I said. "Zoe, don't!" **

** The manticore smiled. "The boy is right, Zoe Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory." **

"What is he talking about?" I asked.

** "What are you talking about?" Thalia growled. **

I smiled at thinking like my sister.

** She had her shield and spear ready. **

** "Surely it is clear," the manticore said. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus." **

** No one spoke. It made terrible sense. Thalia was only two days away from turning sixteen. She was a child of the Big Three. And here was a choice, a terrible choice that could mean the end of the gods. It was just like the prophecy said. I wasn't sure if I felt relieved, horrified, or disappointed. I wasn't the prophecy kid after all. Doomsday was happening right now. **

"That's not good," Frank frowned.

"But I thought you guys fought in a-" Leo stopped when Annabeth glared at him.

"We're trying not to spoil the books, so please refrain from telling about things that happened in the past."

** I waited for Thalia to tell the manticore off, but she hesitated. She looked completely stunned. **

** "You know it is the right choice," the manticore told her. "Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear." **

** "Thalia," I said, "snap out of it!" **

** She looked at me the same way she had the morning she woke up on Half-Blood Hill, dazed and uncertain. It was almost like she didn't know me. "I… I don't—" **

** "Your father helped you," I said. "He sent the metal angels. He turned you into a tree to preserve you." **

** Her hand tightened on the shaft of her spear. **

** I looked at Grover desperately. Thank the gods, he understood what I needed. He raised his pipes to his mouth and played a quick riff. **

"The fauns and camp would never attempt that kind of magic," Reyna said.

"They should," Grover huffed. "They need to do their part to protect the Wild."

"They would rather just beg like homeless beings."

** The manticore yelled, "Stop him!" The guards had been targeting Zoe, and before they could figure out that the kid with the pipes was the bigger problem, the wooden planks at their feet sprouted new branches and tangled their legs. Zoe let loose two quick arrows that exploded at their feet in clouds of sulfurous yellow smoke. Fart arrows! **

** The guards started coughing. The manticore shot spines in our direction, but they ricocheted off my lion's coat. **

** "Grover," I said, "tell Bessie to dive deep and stay down!" **

** "Moooooo!" Grover translated. I could only hope that Bessie got the message. **

** "The cow…" Thalia muttered, still in a daze. **

** "Come on!" I pulled her along as we ran up the stairs to the shopping center on the pier. We dashed around the corner of the nearest store. I heard the manticore shouting at his minions, "Get them!" Tourists screamed as the guards shot blindly into the air. **

"Stupid mortals," Leo smirked.

** We scrambled to the end of the pier. We hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals—wind chimes and dream catchers and stuff like that, glittering in the sunlight. There was a water fountain next to us. Down below, a bunch of sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocks. The whole of San Francisco Bay spread out before us: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the green hills and fog beyond that to the north. A picture-perfect moment, except for the fact that we were about to die and the world was going to end. **

"I love the fact that you tried to look on the bright side, then looked at the negative parts," Piper said.

"It's a natural talent," Percy shrugged.

** "Go over the side!" Zoe told me. "You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus." **

** She was right, but I couldn't do it. **

"Stupid fatal flaw," Annabeth cursed a little under her breath.

** "I won't leave you guys," I said. "We fight together." **

** "You have to get word to camp!" Grover said. "At least let them know what's going on!" Then I noticed the crystals making rainbows in the sunlight. There was a drinking fountain next to me… **

"Are you doing what I think you're doing?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah," Percy smiled.

"That is a good plan," Annabeth admitted. "I'm proud of you." She kissed him on both cheeks.

** "Get word to camp," I muttered. "Good idea." **

** I uncapped Riptide and slashed off the top of the water fountain. Water burst out of the busted pipe and sprayed all over us. **

** Thalia gasped as the water hit her. The fog seemed to clear from her eyes. "Are you crazy?" she asked. **

** But Grover understood. He was already fishing around in his pockets for a coin. He threw a golden drachma into the rainbows created by the mist and yelled, "O goddess, accept my offering!"**

"What are you doing?" the other Romans asked.

"IM'ing," Thalia said. "You guys don't do that?"

"We don't instant message," Hazel said.

"Not Instant Message, _Iris_ message," Annabeth corrected.

Reyna looked confused like the rest of them. "The rainbow goddess?"

"She is also the messenger goddess, carries some messages for the gods, and sometimes demigods," Annabeth explained.

"Makes sense," Frank said.

** The mist rippled. **

** "Camp Half-Blood!" I said. **

** And there, shimmering in the Mist right next to us, was the last person I wanted to see: Mr. D, wearing his leopard-skin jogging suit and rummaging through the refrigerator. **

"Bacchus?" Frank asked.

"Dionysus for us, but yes, same god," Grover said nervously.

"Why is he at your camp?" Reyna asked.

"He's the director there, but he was recalled a little while ago," Annabeth told her.

** He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?" **

** "Where's Chiron!" I shouted. **

** "How rude." Mr. D took a swig from a jug of grape juice. "Is that how you say hello?" "Hello," I amended. "We're about to die! Where's Chiron?" **

"Great conversation starter," Piper said sarcastically.

"If you've ever talked to Percy in a fight, that's how it normally goes," Nico said.

** Mr. D considered that. I wanted to scream at him to hurry up, but I knew that wouldn't work. Behind us, footsteps and shouting—the manticore's troops were closing in. **

** "About to die," Mr. D mused. "How exciting. I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?" **

** I looked at my friends. "We're dead." **

** Thalia gripped her spear. She looked like her old angry self again. "Then we'll die fighting." **

"Very honorable," Reyna nodded in approval.

** "How noble," Mr. D said, stifling a yawn. "So what is the problem, exactly?" **

** I didn't see that it would make any difference, but I told him about the Ophiotaurus. "Mmm." He studied the contents of the fridge. "So that's it. I see." **

** "You don't even care!" I screamed. "You'd just as soon watch us die!" **

"How has he not blasted you?" Hazel asked.

"He's threatened it before, same as some other immortals," Percy said. "They're all either too lazy or scared of Poseidon."

"Oh."

** "Let's see. I think I'm in the mood for pizza tonight." **

** I wanted to slash through the rainbow and disconnect, but I didn't have time. The manticore screamed, "There!" And we were surrounded. Two of the guards stood behind him. The other two appeared on the roofs of the pier shops above us. The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs. **

** "Excellent," he said. He glanced at the apparition in the mist and snorted. "Alone, without any **_**real**_** help. Wonderful." **

** "You could **_**ask**_** for help," Mr. D murmured to me, as if this were an amusing thought. "You could say please." **

** When wild boars fly, I thought. There was no way I was going to die begging a slob like Mr. D, just so he could laugh as we all got gunned down. **

"Percy the sow," Annabeth said. What the heck does that mean?

"I know, but I'm not doing it again," Percy told her.

** Zoe readied her arrows. Grover lifted his pipes. Thalia raised her shield, and I noticed a tear running down her cheek. Suddenly it occurred to me: this had happened to her before. She had been cornered on Half-Blood Hill. She'd willingly given her life for her friends. But this time, she couldn't save us. **

** How could I let that happen to her? **

** "Please, Mr. D," I muttered. "Help." **

** Of course, nothing happened. **

** The manticore grinned. "Spare the daughter of Zeus. She will join us soon enough. Kill the others." **

** The men raised their guns, and something strange happened. You know how you feel when all the blood rushes to your head, like if you hang upside down and turn right-side up too quickly? There was a rush like that all around me, and a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. I smelled grapes and something more sour—wine. **

"He's helping," Leo smirked. "Those guys probably got a taste of the wine dude's power."

Thunder boomed above.

"I complimented you and you're angry!" Leo shouted at the sky, "That's not fair!"

"Stop yelling at the sky, repair boy," Piper scolded.

_**SNAP**_**! **

** It was the sound of many minds breaking at the same time. The sound of madness. One guard put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Two others dropped their guns and started waltzing with each other. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying. **

Many of us started laughing.

"That mental image is just too funny not to laugh at," Nico laughed.

** "No!" screamed the manticore. "I will deal with you myself!" **

** His tail bristled, but the planks under his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monster's body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked, until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves, and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally the grapes stopped shivering, and I had a feeling that somewhere inside there, the manticore was no more. **

** "Well," said Dionysus, closing his refrigerator. "That was fun." **

** I stared at him, horrified. "How could you… How did you—" **

** "Such gratitude," he muttered. "The mortals will come out of it. Too much explaining to do if I made their condition permanent. I hate writing reports to Father." **

** He stared resentfully at Thalia. "I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?" **

** Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed. **

"I was very ashamed," Thalia looked down.

** "Mr. D," Grover said in amazement. "You… you saved us." **

** "Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr. Now get going, Percy Jackson. I've bought you a few hours at most." **

** "The Ophiotaurus," I said. "Can you get it to camp?" **

** Mr. D sniffed. "I do not transport livestock. That's your problem." **

** "But where do we go?" **

** Dionysus looked at Zoe. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting." **

"What kind of pizza?" Leo's mouth watered at the thought of food.

"Doesn't matter," Reyna said.

** "Mr. D," I said. **

** He raised his eyebrow. **

** "You called me by my right name," I said. "You called me Percy Jackson." **

** "I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!" **

"Is that a common thing? Him messing up your names?" Hazel asked.

"Yeah, he does it to everyone," Percy answered.

** He waved his hand, and his image disappeared in the mist. **

** All around us, the manticore's minions were still acting completely nuts. One of them had found our friend the homeless guy, and they were having a serious conversation about metal angels from Mars. Several other guards were harassing the tourists, making animal noises and trying to steal their shoes. **

** I looked at Zoe. "What did he mean… 'You know where to go'?" **

** Her face was the color of the fog. She pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer. **

"Not that mountain," Reyna frowned.

"How do you know what mountain it is?" Percy asked.

"We can recognize the description of the location. Mount Tam right?" I asked.

"Yeah, is the Roman camp near there?"

"Yes. We stormed the palace and defeated the army," Reyna said proudly.

"We're not spoiling what we did in the battle, but you could say it was just as heroic," Annabeth smiled.

** "The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home." **

"Finished!" Frank declared.

"I'll read," Piper said. She took the book and opened to the correct page. "Chapter sixteen: **We Meet The Dragon Of Eternal Bad Breath**."

"On a scale of one to one-hundred, how bad was it?" Leo asked.

"About a seventy-five," Percy replied.


End file.
